Aftermath
by SuzySorrowLess
Summary: Pretending that Emily Prentiss had died, was a cruel decision, but the only way to keep her save. The team is in deep grief and nearly breaking apart. Hotch has to deal with many things, the guilt, the new team member Eve Gardiner has problems of her own and his secret affair with JJ is only causing new pain, if it continues. Rated M to be safe, Pairing Hotch/JJ, maybe changing
1. Chapter 1

** Hello and welcome to my story. First of all, thanks for reading and spending some time with me. English isn´t my usual language, so grammar might be a little 'unusual' some times. I hope, You don´t mind. Having some reviews would drive me crazy, so just be so kind. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don´t own anything, and I don`t earn any money with this, it´s written just for fun.**

"You are still here? You´re so lucky to have a friend like me." Dave Rossi walked into Hotch's office and handed him a big ham & cheese sandwich. "You are still brooding about the Prentiss replacement?" Hotch pointed at a stack of personnel files. "Ok, they are on the shortlist?" Hotch groaned softly, "what shortlist, Dave? Emily's... death has caused a big hole. Derek is obsessed with finding Doyle and you others? I talked with you for weeks, to get this evaluations done. I can´t afford to bring someone into this team who does not fit at all and I don´t want to explain everything that is required. " Dave gave Aaron and himself a refill of hot coffee, "but you'll have to decide. We are one Agent down and you can´t put Strauss on hold for so long. She is not very patient, you know that. Does Jack actually know, what you look like?" Hotch smiled briefly, "I'm sure Jess shows him photos. But you know better than I do." Dave grinned, he was glad that Hotch took it so easy that he and Jess were seeing each other very often. Hotch took a hungry bite, the sandwich was very welcome, the lunch had been canceled. Rossi was right, they were short-staffed. It was 8.30 p.m. and he was still sitting in his office, instead of bringing his son to bed, and reading him a bedtime story.

"What about Eve Gardiner?" Rossi asked. Hotch shook his head, that would have been his preferred candidate. Gardiner had worked with Sam Cooper, who was very satisfied with her and Hotch and Rossi also knew and respected her. "She is not available, Dave. She is on sick note for four months now. She and her husband have lost their daughter, it is not even clear, if she ever comes back." Rossi sighed, six months ago Garcia had made all of them rebellious to be typecast. She wanted to help the kid of the New York colleague. Carrie suffered from leukemia and needed a donor. Rossi didn´t know, that Carrie had died. "I also didn´t know about it. Strauss told me, as I suggested Gardiner. I guess, Eve probably didn´t want the message to be spread out." Hotch remembered what it had been like after Haley's death. It was bad enough to deal with his own grief, the pitying looks of the others made it almost unbearable.  
"Maybe work is exactly what she needs right now, Hotch. She's a pretty good agent and a great profiler, I would not write her off so quickly. It's only an hour flight to NY and the flight attendants from American Airlines are all very pretty," Dave winked at Hotch and made his escape, Hotch had just thrown a funny glance at the stapler. Dave didn´t want to explain to Jess that her brother-in-law was hitting colleagues with a stapler.

The next morning, Hotch was sitting on the plane to New York. Rossi was right, as always. An attempt could not hurt. Hotch knew, he would have gone mad after Haley´s death, if he had not had his work. The routine of the job helped him a lot. Maybe it was similar to Gardiner. On the other hand, she had her husband, the couple was able to support each other, he was a single Dad and had to be strong for Jack.

"Hotch is not here today?" Spencer asked his colleagues in the little kitchenette. Normally Hotch was the first in the morning and the last person that left the office in the evening. "He is interviewing a possible replacement for Emily." Rossi said and became the center of attention. "Who is it?" Morgan wanted to know. It was about time, the desks were piled with files. But he also knew how difficult it would be for all to see someone sitting on Emily's desk and chair. And, to be honest, some replacement has to be found, life goes on, Morgan thought bitterly.

"Eve Gardiner from the New York office." "The Agent with the sick girl? Is she any better?" JJ did not want to imagine herself and little Henry in such a situation. "No, she isn´t, JJ," was all that Dave said. JJ had to blink away a few tears, she understood what Dave was saying. She felt with her colleague. Hotch had not mentioned tonight that he wanted to go to NY, thought JJ. She had become weak, again. Told Will something about an emergency and met again with Hotch. JJ felt guilty. It was not right, she knew very well. It just happened, with Hotch and her. They both felt the weight of the burden. To tell the others, that Em had died, was cruel, but if they wanted to make sure that she was out of line of fire, it was the only way. "Nothing is written in stone, right now. We don´t know, whether she has any interest. Hotch and I just thought, she would fit into the team." Spencer thoughtfully moved his spoon in his coffee mug, he did not know Gardiner in person, the question that came up was, if she was emotionally able to fulfill the needs. On the other side, perhaps it was a good idea, if the team had to look after someone in their midst, it would help to push the pain because of Emily a little into the background. Spencer missed her so desperately, he sometimes did not know how to take it.

Hotch's thoughts went in a similar direction as Spencer's. Was it kind of unfair, to involve Gardiner in all this? Hotch already felt guilty enough. The decision, he had made with JJ gnawed at him. At that moment, it appeared to him as the only option, the only way Emily's security was guaranteed. "Would you fasten your seatbelt, Sir? We are clear for landing." The voice of the flight attendant interrupted his thoughts. He gave her a quick smile and buckled up.  
"You owe me 20 bucks, Erica," the flight attendant said a few minutes later in the galley to her colleague, "12A _is_ able to smile."

Hotch rented a car at the airport and the navigation system led him to Queens. He stopped in front of a small house with a garden, which was once very well cared about. Now, however, the over growing weeds were everywhere. Hotch could imagine that the Gardiner's had no sense of gardening anymore. He rang the doorbell several times without success. Maybe I should have called, Hotch thought frustrated.

"You must be very patient," Hotch was approached from behind. He turned around and looked over to the mailman. "It takes a long time to come to the door for Mrs. Gardiner. Difficulties with standing straight, if you know what I mean." The postal worker made a unique gesture. "But actually she´s a nice lady, bad things, that happened. First the little girl and now her husband vanished into thin air. That´s tragic, man." The mailman stuffed another letter into the almost over-stuffed box and continued his tour. Hotch took a deep breath, the man had indicated that Gardiner was drinking, that was not good. Hotch pounded loudly at the door. "Eve? It´s Aaron Hotchner. Open up, I know you are in there!" That, Aaron wasn´t sure of, but it probably does not hurt either. Hotch walked around the house. He had a vague feeling that it would be a huge mistake to leave. He jerked at a couple of windows, without success. Surprisingly, the french window was just pulled shut. "Eve, are you there?" Hotch walked into the living room cautiously. It was messy and half empty. Obviously, Eve's husband had also taken a lot of furniture, when he left. What a scumbag, Hotch thought angrily, no one has to leave his wife alone, in a situation like this, under no circumstances. "Agent Gardiner?" The kitchen was in the same condition as the living room, there was a gaping void in the fridge. On the kitchen isle was a stack of un-opened letters, in one corner Hotch could see empty whiskey bottles. So the mailman was right. That was not planned. Hotch loosened his tie a bit and went up the stairs to the first floor.  
"Holy crap," exclaimed Hotch when he opened the bathroom door.


	2. Monday 9 am in my office

He found Eve Gardiner in the bathtub, on the floor a half-empty bottle of Johnnie Walker. The water had turned a bit reddish already, from her right hand, her left hand was hanging over the edge of the bathtub and the blood dripping down, already formed a small pool. "EVE!" Hotch pulled Eve out of the tub and put her on the floor. He tried to estimate how much blood she had lost. The cuts were not too deep, but deep enough. Hotch looked for her first-aid-kit and found something in the mirror cabinet. He checked her pulse again. Slowly but regularly, and she smelled like a harbor dive. The biggest problem at the moment was the alcohol, obviously Gardiner was drunk like a sailor on shore leave. Hotch decided against an ambulance, the blood loss was not that dramatic. Moreover, it would have been the end of career for Gardiner and his opinion she had already lost enough. "Eve, Agent Gardiner!" Hotch barked at her and gave her a slap. Eve moaned, "Carrie? I just want Carrie, where ist she?", she looked at Hotch in confusion. Hotch felt his heart nearly stop, he knew the pain in her eyes too well. "Carrie isn´t here anymore," he said softly and held her in his arms, until she stopped sobbing.

About an hour later, Eve was sober enough to begin a sensible conversation with her. "I'm not set up to visits, Agent Hotchner," she said wearily and held on to her coffee. "I can´t laugh about that, Eve. What were you thinking?" Eve looked in Hotch's eyes, "You are someone, that might know, what I was thinking, Hotchner. And now, tell me that you have not thought about ending it all." "I´ve got Jack," Hotch said quietly. "You didn´t answer my question," Eve replied and took another disgusted sip of coffee. Hotchner made her already drink a whole pot and made her walk around in the room, besides, he had yelled at her almost half an hour, Eve's head dinned like an Antonov. "I thought about it," Hotch said honestly, "but it would have been just a coward´s escape." "A coward´s escape? Maybe that´s right, but I don´t give a damn about that chicken shit at the moment. Why are you here? What do you want from me?" "I wanted to offer you a job at the BAU, Eve. We lost an agent, and we are in urgent need of replacement." Gardiner ran her fingers through her hair. "You lost Emily Prentiss? I heard about it. Looks as if we all are not spared. I'm afraid you have to find someone else, I'm a little, uh, indisposed."

Hotch poured another coffee for her, "maybe you should stop the binge, Gardiner. That´s supposed to be a good start. How much are you drinking?" "Not nearly enough to deal with all the misery that´s behind me. This morning, I thought maybe I should make a final decision. Why did you pull me out of this damn tub? Couldn´t you just let me die?" Eve had become loud and Hotch looked at her, seriously. "In my team no one is left behind, Eve. And I want you in my team. But I need you fit and sober, so take a break and put yourself together, damn it. I want that Eve Gardiner, I once knew. The one, Dave Rossi and Sam Cooper also know and respect. " Eve laughed bitterly, "you better take a good look at me, Hotchner. There's nothing left to respect or what ever you might call it. I'm done, finito, game over."

Hotch grabbed a large kitchen knife and slammed it on the table in front of Eve. "I think I've always misjudged you, Gardiner. How have you actually managed to join the FBI? You are so damn right. There is nothing left to respect. You look like hell and you are a ridiculous caricature of an agent. You should make an end, here and now. So go ahead! "

Hotch was hoping to be dramatic enough. Rossi was obviously a good teacher, Eve looked at him with flashing, angry eyes. "You're an asshole, Hotchner." Hotch just grinned, "tell me something I don´t know. Monday 9 a.m., I want your ass in my office. Sober, dressed decently and receptive. Did I make myself clear?" Eve gave him a one-finger salute. Hotch nodded, "I take that as a yes. Until I decide, you are able to live by yourself, you will stay at Rossi´s place. He can keep an eye on you. If we catch you with booze, you are immediately out. When you step out of line, you're out and if you put someone in danger, because of your behavior, you are out as well. Again, did I make myself clear? " "Why don´t you just piss off and let me die in peace?"

Hotch moved Gardiner from the chair and dragged her in front of the big mirror in the hallway. " Because, I know the real Eve Gardiner is still in there somewhere. Look at you, you´re a wreck. Do you think Carrie would be proud of her mother if she could see you like that? Your child died, Eve. I know, that´s hard. But you are still alive and you have been a great agent. Don´t destroy yourself!" Hotch shook her and forced her to look in the mirror. "What do you know about my daughter and how you can even dare to mention her name. Get out of my house, Hotchner. You invaded in here, illegally, I could shoot you if I wanted to!" Eve slapped and yelled at him. Hotch grabbed her arms. "Monday, 9 a.m. Don´t forget it. Perhaps this is your last chance."  
Hotch left the house. He took a deep breath. He sincerely hoped that his knowledge of people didn´t deceive him and Gardiner would show up in Quantico.

A few minutes later, Eve was still staring into the mirror. Hotchner was fucking right, she tought, I don´t know that woman in front of me. Straggly hair, bloodshot eyes, her jeans almost slipped over her hips and her collarbone stood out clearly. Eve ran into the bathroom and threw up until nothing else left her body, but bile.

Hotch was on the flight back to Washington. He had to deal with suspicious looks from the other passengers. He was forced to show his badge several times to explain the blood stains on his shirt. He had made a purely emotional decision, the fact, that he could have been like Eve, effected him. More than he would ever have imagined. To see Gardiner like this, was like a look in a dark mirror. He himself had been cracked, after Haley's death. Eve Gardiner's fate made the events surrounding his wife´s death present again. It was true, what he had told Eve. He was about to end his life, everything seemed so senseless. But he hadn´t done it. He had the team, that supported him a lot, and there was Jack, his little boy, he couldn´t have left him all alone, he already lost his Mum. Eve was all alone. He would not let her down. Perhaps it would also help him to once again become the decent guy he once was. Eve's name for him was not wrong. He was an asshole, telling his friends, Emily was dead. And having sex with JJ, who was in a relationship with Will and even had a child with him, was something, only an asshole would do. Hotch felt so uncomfortable with the whole situation, he didn´t like himself acting like that.

JJ saw Hotch returning into his office, his expression did not bode well. She shortly knocked on the door of his office before she entered. "It didn´t end up very well, with Gardiner?" JJ asked, and, with a little shock, "That´s blood on your shirt isn´t it?" "It's not mine and I do not want to talk about it, okay?" Hotch took off his shirt and replaced it with his spare shirt in the closet. "You could have told me that you want to fly to New York, I was surprised, as Rossi has talked about." JJ sounded reproachful. Hotch looked at her seriously. "I said nothing, intentionally. You would only have to explain, that you know about." "I could come up with something," JJ said stiffly. "The way you come up with something, when you leave Will to share the night with me?" Hotch replied. "That's not fair and you know that. Do you think I tell him a pack of lies, and enjoy it?" "I do not know, do you?" Hotch felt just like he was arguing with Haley.

"Hey, Rossi. What's happening between Hotch and JJ? "Morgan observed the two in Hotch's office and spoke directly to Dave. Derek was annoyed by that 'solo-flights' and secrets that were apparently now on the agenda. Rossi shrugged, "Hotch doesn´t tell me everything, that´s going on, even if you think so, Morgan. " "What are you trying to say?" "Nothing." " Oh, come on, spit it out. If you think it bothers me that Hotch and you make decisions over our heads, then you're fucking right. What is this thing going on with Gardiner? The woman has lost her child, good Lord, what do you think, what kind of help she will be for us? "  
Spencer grabbed a book that lay on his desk and slammed it to the ground. "Would you both stop!? Isn´t it enough that we lost Emily, you two have to fight about rubbish? Tragedies usually bring people closer together, but I no longer have the feeling that we are a team!" Spencer left the bullpen quick and very angry. He ran right into Garcia´s arms and she pulled him immediately into her little techno-cave. She wanted to know, why he was that upset. "We are breaking apart, Garcia" Reid said desperately, "Emily's death is like an open wound that still bleeds, how can we ever deal with it?" Pen sobbed quietly, she understood what Reid said. She felt exactly the same.

Rossi and Morgan looked at each other in embarrassment. "He's right, man," Derek said, "I'm sorry. This is not about Gardiner I have nothing against her, but we really need professional support." Rossi and Morgan shook hands, "I'm sorry, too. We are probably all we're not quite ourselves at the moment. But you can be sure Hotch would not bring Eve into the team, if he wasn´t convinced she can take it."

Hotch needed cogency when he had his conversation with Strauss, this late afternoon. He was putting his job at risk, recommending Gardiner for the job. He was very aware of that fact. But she needed this chance and the team needed her. "I agree with you in that point, Agent Hotchner," Strauss just said, "She is an excellent agent. But is she resilient enough? You know best how exhausting this job is. You can´t carry her through. "

"We will not have to. Agent Gardiner has my full trust. She lost her child, she is grieving, but we all do." Strauss nodded. "Well, give it a shot. You have got three months, then we will make a final decision." "Yes, Ma'am." Hotch left the office with a slight rumble in his stomach.

**so, what do You think? Is Hotch making a mistake, taking Gardiner as a replacement for Prentiss? And will she show up? Some feedback would be so nice, come on, guy´s**


	3. Quantico, 930 am

**Thanks to DebbieOz, hope You enjoy the next chapter!**

"She's not showing up, Dave." Hotch sounded quite frustrated. "Half an hour is more than late, damn it, I was so sure." Hotch was angry at himself and put down his mug on the desk very rudely. "Maybe it's better this way, you are putting your job at risk for her, Aaron." Dave was shocked when Hotch told him how he had found Eve. Rossi knew Gardiner as reliable, focused and professional. The desolate woman, Aaron described to him, was a complete stranger to Dave. Nevertheless, Dave was immediately willing to take care of her in his mansion. If she needed help and support, she would get it.

Spencer glanced at the woman who stepped out of the elevator. She was about 5' 7, very slender, almost skinny, Spencer thought. She was wearing a tight dark red suit, Spencer could see, how skinny her legs were, and her make up was put on very carefully. Her short, red-brown hair was curly and kind of messy. It was tamed by a reddish silk scarf. She looked around and her eyes stuck at Spencer. "Excuse me, I'm looking for SSA Hotchner?" "Agent Gardiner? I'm Dr. Spencer Reid. Hotch is already waiting, you are late, 32 minutes, to be exact." Eve looked at him suspiciously, was that a reproach? Eve straightened her shoulders, "I'm not usually unpunctual, . There was an accident with a truck, I had to take a detour." she said sharply. "Oh, I did not want to blame you, I just made a point." Spencer made a mental note to babble a bit less, he didn´t want to scare the new one at her first day. "And I am not that bitchy, Dr. Reid." Eve forced herself to a brief smile. "I suppose we'll be working together? I've heard a lot about you, Doctor." Reid nodded. " You don´t have to call me Doctor, we are using last names in here. Reid will be absolutely fine." "Right, it´s Gardiner, then. But I won´t kill you for calling me Eve." Spencer gave her a big smile. She was a nice person, Spencer liked her immediately. Together they entered the bullpen. "Hotch's office is on the gallery." Eve went upstairs.

Morgan came with fresh coffee. He placed a mug at Reid's desk, "five spoons of sugar, as requested. The redhead, that´s Gardiner?" he asked Reid. "She doesn´t have much resemblance to the photo on her ID Card any more, Morgan. And she is not wearing her wedding ring. She just looks incredibly sad." Morgan took a sip from his mug, he was really hoping that Hotch knew what he was doing.

Rossi's and Hotch's conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Eve took a deep breath as the heard Hotch´s "Come in" She stepped in. "I'm glad you have decided to come by," Hotch said reproachfully, and looked at his watch. "A truck has blocked the street, Agent Hotchner. But you're right, I'm late. Hello Dave. I hope I wont cause you too much trouble." Dave smiled kindly, "absolutely not. I appreciate company, Eve. Welcome to the team." He winked at her and left her alone with Hotch. "Sit down, Eve. You have made the right decision. How are you?" " First of all, I´m sorry for the, um, asshole-thing. I was just..., well, I'm still alive and I'm sober, if that's your next question."

Before Hotch could respond, Garcia stormed into the office. "Sorry, boss, but we have got a new case. Hi, Agent Gardiner," Pen gave Eve an encouraging smile and was gone. "Our technical analyst Penelope Garcia. I would like you to step right in, as you now, we are one agent down." Hotch was not going to give Gardiner a chance to back down. "I have a go-bag in the trunk," she confirmed and followed Hotch in the small conference room.

"Well, before we start, this is SSA Eve Gardiner, she will be joining our team." Hotch introduced Eve briefly, Garcia was already ready for battle and lit up the large flat screen. "The destination is Baton Rouge, Louisiana, my little furry friends. We´ve got two dead priests."

Garcia pointed at the screen. "Father Michael O'Donnell and Father John Duncan", "Both of Irish descent?" Eve asked and Garcia nodded. "And both of them stone cold dead. They were found in their churches. Nude and put in a cross-like position." On the screen they could see the two priests, arms spread out and placed in the nave. A knife was sticking out of their chests, both priests laid in a large pool of blood. "According to the autopsy report, the stab wound is the cause of death, but, and this is so disgusting, they were also raped and their tongues were cut out. And that didn´t happen post-mortem, folks." "So he wants them to suffer," stated Derek. "What is scrawled on their stomach, Garcia?" asked Dave, time for glasses, he thought. Garcia increased the picture. "666?" Hotch said, surprised, "Satanism? That´s not very common in the southern states. Is there any other evidence of devil worshippers, Garcia?" "Not really, there are only a few minor offenses. At St. Michael's, a statue was knocked over, at St. Mary in the Wood a baptismal font was damaged and at St. Benedict´s the wall was spray-painted, but it said 'Fuck You', so no devils at all. " "Any links between O'Donnell and Duncan?" Eve asked. "No, not besides the obvious. But I just started searching."

Hotch stood up, "everything else on the plane, wheels up in thirty. Dave, you may show Gardiner her desk and the jet?" "I can do it," Derek chimed in. He offered her his hand. And saw her hands tremble a bit. "Derek Morgan, the angel-like blonde is Jennifer Jareau, or JJ as we call her. Our genius you have already met and our technique goddess Penelope Garcia is a real cutie." Derek watched her intently as he spoke to her. Reid was right, she looked sad. Or rather like someone who has already finished with everything. Her make-up was almost perfect, but if you looked closer, you could clearly see the deep dark circles around her eyes. Green-blue ones. Morgan wondered, what they might look like, if she smiled. She slept too little and, judging by her figure, she ate too much of nothing. What the hell were you thinking, Hotch, Derek thought. Gardiner would topple over at the first opportunity, that was for sure.

JJ grabbed Hotch´s jacket and pulled him aside. "This can´t be serious, not at all." "What do you mean?" "I'm talking about Eve Gardiner, Aaron. You can´t do this. Eve has my full sympathy, but that is too much for her and us. You´re crazy, putting her into the team." Hotch looked at her in amazement. "I did not realize , the team leadership has changed, JJ. Since when are you making decisions for me?" "Oh, come on, I don´t do that. I´m just thinking, it´s a huge mistake." "So you are not?" Hotch asked, "It sounded that way. I want Gardiner to join the team and I won´t discuss it. Not with you, nor with Morgan, his critical eye was not to be overlooked." JJ put a hand on his arm. "You´re so stubborn, Aaron. You´re going to destroy this whole team." Hotch gave her a short laugh, "Which team do you mean, JJ? Didn´t it come to your attention, in what mood and distress this team already is? Earlier this day, Rossi and Morgan barked at each other like mad dogs. And Reid? Sleeping on your couch for weeks, crying? And what about us? I don´t like, what we do, JJ. "JJ snorted, "Oh, no? That´s why you´re moaning my name, when you cum? You're a fucking hypocrite, Aaron Hotchner." JJ was throwing him a furious look, then she left and rushed in her office, to get her go-bag.

Eve sat in the jet next to Reid, who had looked at her encouragingly. "You'll be fine," he whispered to her. Eve was surprised. Reid was the youngest in the team and treated her completely unbiased. Morgan previously had checked her out, from head to toe. Eve was sure he did not trust her and that made two of them. Eve did not trust herself. She knew, drinking wasn´t a solution, suicide wasn´t either. But everything got out of hands. Eve´s whole life crashed down, when Carrie got ill. Eve remembered the time in the hospital, to see her own child suffer, broke her heart and made her nearly lose her mind. When they finally got the right donor, it was too late. Eve didn´t know, how she made it through the funeral. Craig, her husband, left three days after they buried their child. He was screwing his secretary, what a cliché. That´s when she started drinking. She could feel her hands shake a little. She didn´t have a drink since the day before yesterday, and she felt awful.

Eve looked at Hotch. She didn´t know, why he was trying to help her back on her feet again. They knew each other, not very well, they worked two cases together. Something was going on, Eve thought. But what ever it was, it wasn´t her business. Eve was not sure if she was able to fulfill Hotch´s expectations. But she would try, as hard as she could.


	4. You talk to me, yet?

** Thanks again to DebbieOz! Everyone is welcome to give some feedback, feedback ist not dangerous to Your health or causes You any pain... I´m just saying**

Hotch was watching Reid and Gardiner on the flight. Obviously, Spencer had decided to take good care of the new agent. He brought her coffee and gave her encouraging glances, several times. Hotch saw a tiny, grateful smile slipping across her face. Hotch breathed visibly, could have been worse.

JJ, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on Hotch. Why was he that concerned about Eve and why he wanted her to join the team so badly? JJ felt surprised, she was jealous...? She briefly moaned, her little fling with Hotch wasn´t supposed to get complicated. She was in love with Will, kind of, but she sometimes felt like Will was too close, like she wasn´t able to breathe. Therefore, she enjoyed the passionate but so far meaningless sex with Hotch. With an emphasis on 'so far' JJ thought. Her expectations and feelings began to change and that wasn´t good. Old feelings broke through. JJ thought about the time, after Hotch´s divorce. If he had just said one word, only one, JJ thought. Will would have become history, straight away. Pregnant or not. But Hotch remained silent, so she took Will, who was second best. JJ was relieved when they finally landed, and later entered the Baton Rouge Police Department. "Detective Mitchell?" she asked the burly, blond detective who came to them. "Jennifer Jareau, BAU. We talked at the phone." Mitchell nodded, relieved, "glad, that you're here, we've just found number three." "That´s fast", Rossi said. "Gardiner and I will take a look at the crime scene, JJ and Reid, you´ll check the files, Rossi and Morgan, you visit the pathology and have a look at the first victims." Hotch decided. Mitchell yelled for a young officer, "Burghardt? Find this agents some place, where they can settle down and make sure, they get everything they need!" Burghardt almost saluted, "Yes Sir!"

The crime scene was a small church on the outskirts of Baton Rouge. Mitchell led Hotch and Eve into the nave. Brandon Monaghan lay there naked with arms outstretched. A knife stuck in his chest, like O'Donnell and Duncan. Gardiner put on gloves. Monaghan's mouth was covered in blood and a closer look confirmed the missing tongue. "Just like the others, Hotch. But somehow, I mean, I don´t buy the Satanism stuff." "Why not?" asked Mitchell, "the victim is in a reverse form of a cross-like position and the sign of the devil '666' is carved on his belly. That´s not for fun, isn´t it?" "Agent Gardiner isn´t completely wrong, Det. Mitchell. The church itself is fully intact. No pentagrams or similar. They would be definitively there, but there's nothing here. Excised tongue is also atypical." "Have you found the tongues yet, Det. Mitchell?" Eve wanted to know. Mitchell shook his head. "Souvenirs", Hotch and Gardiner said simultaneously. "But why would he collect them or why did he remove them at all?" For Mitchell, the culprit was clearly a lunatic. "There are several possibilities, Detective," said Hotch. "Either he wants to silence or punish them for having kept silent, he could be dumb or have a speech impediment and wants to pull down his victims to his level." "And how do you find him?" "We will eliminate the possibilities, one by one, Detective." Eve said.

A little later, everyone gathered in the Baton Rouge PD together again. Burghardt was like a genie-in-a-bottle and took care of food and in a short time a lively discussion was going on, and various theories were thrown into the room. There was disagreement in the team about the motive of the UnSub. "Do we know anything about the knife?" Derek asked, to narrow the matter down a little. "He used the same model on every victim." "You're right," Reid confirmed. "It's a ritual sacrifice dagger that is used in Voodoo or Santeria. Would support Gardiner's theory. A true believer would not mix up Satanism and Voodoo." Rossi put his burger aside, "if we assume that he is neither the one nor the other, what is his intention?" "We need to find out," said Hotch. "He has to buy the dagger somewhere," Eve said, pressed 1 on her new cell, Hotch had handed her, for Garcia's number and put her on speaker. "Knock and it shall be opened unto you?" Morgan chuckled, that was so Garcia. "It's Agent Gardiner, Miss Garcia. There is a photo it´s way, you can find out where I get this here in Baton Rouge?" "One of my easiest exercises, honey bee. There are exactly three shops in the range, where you can buy daggers and creepy Voodoo stuff like that. I'll send the address to your cell straight away. Take care of the zombies, dear. Anything else I can do for you?" "Um, no, thank you, Miss Garcia." "She is always like this," Morgan grinned and handed Eve cheeseburger and fries. "You didn´t eat anything, Gardiner. We don´t want you to starve here." Morgan sounded not mocking in any way, he sounded sincerely concerned, Eve thought. When Hotch said, his team would not leave someone behind, he obviously ment what he said. Eve´s eyes were filled with tears. "Excuse me," she said quietly and left the room hastily.

"Great job, Morgan, really great job." Spencer stood up abruptly and followed Eve outside. Morgan threw his pen on the table, "I've only offered her some food. Damn it, I wasn´t rude." "All right, Morgan," Hotch tried to calm him a little. "It's certainly not your fault." "Just like Emily´s dead was not my fault?" Morgan gave Hotch an indefinable look. Derek felt responsible, if they had gotten there a bit faster, or he had been a bit more persistent, when he asked about her problems...

Mitchell felt very uncomfortable at the moment. What was going on in this team that was supposed to be the best of the FBI? He had noticed very well Gardiner´s bandaged wrists, you didn´t need to be a profiler to see what was wrong with her. Between the others it seemed to bubble, how, the freaking hell, are they able to find a serial killer?

Eve sat in the little park in front of the police station. She cried and sobbed uncontrollably. How should she deliver a decent job when a friendly gesture of a colleague has brought her to tears? "Here you go," Spencer gave Eve a handkerchief and sat down beside her. At least, I stick to Hotch's concept, Reid thought. He was the first one to sympathize with the desperate agent. He rarely had the feeling to offer someone a hug, that was not exactly his cup of tea, but Gardiner started this impulse deep inside of him. Reid patted her shoulder a little insecure. "You're a good guy, Reid," she said, and blew her nose loudly. "Oh, I, uh. I'm just helping a colleague," Spencer brought out. "Maybe this is beyond helping me, Reid. I'm not a very good support, for no one." "You have to show a little faith and patience, Eve. This is gonna be all right."  
Morgan had left the precinct as well. He could see Reid and Gardiner sitting in the park on a bench together. Obviously Gardiner was crying and Spencer comforted her. Morgan smiled briefly, his pretty boy was always good for a surprise. He thought again about his utterance against Eve. He was just being friendly, nothing more. Morgan had the impression that Eve tried to hold up sincerely, the question was, would it work out?

Hotch poured JJ a coke. "You talk to me, yet?" he asked. JJ just grinned, "You've not earned it." Hotch nodded, "that's right. Sorry, JJ. I´m projecting my frustrations on you, the whole time. That´s not my style, usually. Excuse me, please JJ. She pressed Hotch's hand briefly. "I know. And I'm sorry too. We maneuvered us into a messy situation, I mean, I have no idea how this will end up, Aaron. We must stop to tear each other apart, all of us must. "JJ stroke his cheek gently. "I'll call Garcia, maybe she already has a few details about our dead priest."

Hotch watched her and smiled briefly, he enjoyed JJ's affection, much more than he should. She belongs to Will, he reminded himself, never forget that fact. I lost her to him, already. Hotch thought frustrated. It was like a slap in the face, at that time. Telling him she was with Will and that she was having his baby. Hotch took a deep breath. Haley's latent jealousy of JJ had not been pure invention. Although he had never cheated on his wife, in a physical sense, but there were always those feelings for JJ. His behavior at the moment, was a simple matter of self-protection, Hotch didn´t have to see a therapist, to tell him. He didn´t notice his own shortcomings more clearly than now.


	5. An eye for an eye?

**Still looking for some more feedback, guy´s. Don´t be shy, good or bad, I can handle it...**

Eve and Spencer entered the precinct again. Derek could hear her, saying 'Thank You' to Reid again. "Morgan? Can I have a word with you?" Eve asked cautiously. Morgan nodded, "Of course. Do you feel better? I didn´t want to offend you, or cross the line, Gardiner." he explained. "I know, and you are not. I was no longer used of having someone take care of me and was overwhelmed. There is no problem if you remember me about eating. It´s not important to me, I think. But I will take more care of myself, I promise. So, everything is all right, Morgan. I would like to check up the voodoo shops, Garcia texted me. How do you handle it, you couple up? ""For safety reasons, yes. I can accompany you. Maybe we'll even find a hot-dog stand." Derek gave her a charming smile and Eve replied it timidly. "Hotch? Gardiner and I are going to canvass the voodoo shops." Morgan stuck his head through the half-open door. "She´s fine," Derek whispered as he saw Hotch's worried look.

"It looks as if our problem child has got two bucklers, right now," Rossi said, smiling. Hotch just nodded. Rossi gave Hotch a very serious and concerned look. " You´re driving me crazy, Aaron. What´s the matter with you? You can´t go on, like this, saying nothing. Want to talk about it? We are not just colleagues, Aaron, you're my friend. Since Emily's death, you changed. I guess, we all have, but you .. . "Rossi lowered his voice," You never would have slept with a colleague. Damn it Aaron, you're not that kind of guy. JJ is practically married, for God´s sake." Hotch closed the door. "What do you expect me to say, Dave? That it is wrong? Do think I wouldn´t know?" Hotch shortly covered his face with his hands. "You´re in love with her", Rossi said in surprise. "Just as well I could wish to colonize Mars, Dave. JJ loves Will, end of the story. It has happened, yes, but it doesn´t mean anything. Period." Dave shook his head, "And did you ever see an oyster walk upstairs, Aaron? Talk to each other, for heaven's sake, you are grown up´s. I guess, I don´t have to mention that, we never talked about this issue." Dave closed the door behind hisself as he walked out of the room.

Dave shook his head, as he stood outside the door. That´s the way, Edward Smith must have felt. The boat had touched the iceberg and there was nothing left to do.

"Agent Rossi?" Dave was contacted by Det. Mitchell, "It´s not my business, at all, Agent, but are you guy´s all right?" Dave sighed, how desolate must the team look like, if it was noticed by outsiders? "To be honest, Detective, we recently lost a member of our team. We try to get over it, but we are only human and we mourn a loss. However, we will find your serial killer. At least, I can promise you that." Mitchell patted Rossi´s shoulder, he understood completely. Mitchell had already lost friends and colleagues and knew how hard it was to even begin to return to normality.

Derek watched Eve in the car. She was a beautiful woman, no question to that. In the right frame of mind she would make any man crazy, Morgan thought, myself included. Eve had noticed Derek's look. "What do you want to know, Morgan?" "You don´t wear a wedding ring anymore, Gardiner." Eve moaned softly, "Craig prefers fucking his secretary now. Clichè? Yes it is, but bad things happen. But, frankly, we had problems, long before Carrie got sick. We have drifted apart, you may say. I'm just not the kind of wife, watching her husband playing golf at the country club, gossiping around with the other ladies, or share some embroidery patterns with them." Morgan laughed, "I wouldn´t think about you that way. Nevertheless, I believe your husband is an idiot." Eve had to smile about that, after all. Well, Derek thought, it's possible to make her laugh. And she looks gorgeous, doing that.

Hotch entered the makeshift meeting room. "What do we have so far?" "Not very much," Reid said regretfully. He pointed at the whiteboard. "O'Donnell, our first victim, a native Irish, we was born in the city of Cork. Moreover, he is the only one who is truly born in Ireland. Duncan and Monaghan are of Irish descent but born here in the States. Duncan in Philly and Monaghan in Des Moines. There is also a difference of age, O'Donnell is 58, Duncan 41 and Monaghan is 64," "So, age doesn´t matter to him, must be an other reason for picking and killing them," JJ stated. "We´ll have to find out, what´s in common, except of being Irish," confirmed Hotch. "Everyone had their own parish, there were any incidents?" Spencer shook his head, "No. Mitchells people there very thoroughly. O'Donnell and Duncan were very popular and well liked, there is nothing. Mitchell´s people are still verifying Monaghan's environment and doing interviews. Garcia is also checking the past of the victims, so far without evidence." Reid concluded. "JJ and Rossi, you join Mitchell. Interview the parish clerk, the house keeper and don´t forget the altar boys." Hotch said. "You think of possible abuse?" Rossi asked, "they have been raped, Dave. I want no possibility to be disregarded. Revenge has always been a powerful motive." JJ shook briefly, "he removed their tongues because they have told him to be silent?" "Or because they have remained silent." Hotch stated further.

"I'd like to talk to you, Reid," Hotch said, as Rossi and JJ had left. Spencer blushed, "I was wrong, snapping at Derek this way", he said, "but I was still upset because he and Rossi were so mad at each other." Hotch nodded. "I completely understand. This situation is not easy for all of us ..", "maybe it would help even if you just stop, calling it a 'situation','" Spencer snorted, "Emily's death is not a 'situation 'it's ... bullshit! "Reid rarely used such expressions, but simply, there was no other way to describe his feelings. And it also showed Hotch quite clearly how strained Reid's nerves were. "I'm sorry," Spencer muttered, picked up the chair he had pushed aside and sat back down. Hotch overlooked Spencer's outburst. "How do you estimate Gardiner?" Spencer was surprised. Actually, he had prepared for Hotch bawling him out, but Hotch ignored his behavior completely. "She isn´t like Emily, she´s different," he said softly, "and that's a good thing. I could not bear to work with someone who is like her. Eve is a good agent, Hotch and you were right, letting her join the team. Work is going to help her and so do we. And I think she will not do it again." Spencer put his hand to his wrist. Hotch nodded, that was his opinion, too. "Moreover, she is right with the alleged Satanism. Perhaps our UnSub can´t find a better way, to express himself. He wants to tell us, the priests are the devil," said Spencer, sharing a possible theory. "However, this brings us back to possible abuse," Hotch said. But, there is no evidence on Duncan and O'Donnell, which again speaks against it."

There was a similar discussion going on between Morgan and Gardiner in the Van. The first shop on the list was a dead loss. According to the order book, the last dagger of this type had been sold two years ago, as the owner of the 'Agowu', Bob Dayly, reported. Bob Dayly emerged as late-hippie who belonged rather to a Love & Peace Group, than Santeria or voodoo movement.

"Why he chooses Irish ones?" Derek asked in the car. "The Irish Catholics are among the deeply religious, Morgan. My grandmother was born in the Galway area. She always made jokes about it, you'd be already excommunicated, just thinking of sin. If you look at it, in this kind of way, the desecration of a Catholic priest is the worst thing, you can do. ""Because this is the only righteous punishment for a priest who abuses his power?" Derek asked. Eve nodded, "An Eye for an eye, Derek."

Morgan stopped at store number two, who made a rather inconspicuous impression. Upon entering it became clear this was not a pseudo-voodoo shop. Derek looked around, here there was none of these ridiculous dolls that were found in the 'Agowu' about in heaps. In the small, darkish room candles and incense of all kinds were dominating. Eve sniffed interested at a tea-bag. "You have chosen exactly the right thing, my sister," the Creole woman had silently entered the room. She wore a turban with a matching top and a coloured, long cotton skirt. Her neck adorned a chicken claw on a silver chain. "This is supposed to help you deal with your problem, my sister. What can I do for you?" This was a rhetorical question, Eve thought, she had the feeling, the Mambo´s eyes were piercing her, literally. Derek was not impressed and showed his badge. "Agents Morgan and Gardiner, FBI. We would like to ask you a few questions, Mrs.?" "Salazar. Genevieve Salazar. And it's Miss, not Mrs." The woman, who appeared to be at least eighty, made a little bow. "That what you are looking for, Agent Morgan, you will not find in here. But something else, it is already in your reach, open your eyes and you will see."

The old woman took Eve by the hands, "You close your eyes, my sister." whispered the Mambo, "Loa Guede will come to you, so you can find peace. Your life goes on, even if someone elses has stopped." Genevieve muttered a few words in a foreign language and painted an invisible mark on Eve´s forehead. Then she handed her a silver Veve on a leather cord. "Keep it close to you, sister, so Loa Guede is able to find you." Eve was returning only very slow to reality, from the moment, the Mambo had taken her hands a deep sense of relief ran through Eve´s Body and mind as if the woman had taken away some of her burden.

**A/N: A 'Mambo' is a high priestess of voodoo, the 'Loa Guede' (also known as Baron Samedi) delivers messages from the loved ones, passed away and protects them in the afterlife, and a 'Veve' is a kind of graphical illustration of a Loa (deity)**


	6. 15 Years

"Gardiner? Everything all right with you?" Morgan was worried and put his hand on her shoulder. "Eve?" "I'm fine, Morgan, really," Eve confirmed after a little while. Morgan showed Miss Salazar a photo of the dagger. "Yes, I do sell these items, but they don´t serve a misguided purpose." The Mambo put the photograph back on the table, in disgust, as if she knew what this dagger was used for. "This item was not purchased in my shop, Agent Morgan. I do take a very close look at my costumers, you can be sure about that. Maybe others are not as careful as I am." " These 'others' have got a name?" Eve asked. Salazar smiled, "Miguel Santos, he deals with a lot of things. Some are quite harmless, some are dangerous, in wrong hands. He owns a warehouse at the Seaside, I don´t know the exact address. The other person you're looking for is a tortured soul that longs for satisfaction. And killing only 'infantry' doesn´t satisfy him anymore. " the Mambo added after a short pause. She handed the sachet of tea to Eve, she had sniffed earlier and filled more ingredients into another sachet. She also handed this mojo-bag to Eve. "You know what you have to do with it, right? Don´t deny your ancestry, my sister," the Mambo reminded Eve and left.

"Okay," Morgan said, as they stood outside near the Van again. "What just happened in there?" "What do you mean, Morgan?" Eve put the Veve around her neck. "I'm talking about this, this hocus-pocus, the woman has done. Why did she call you sister and why are you denying your heritage and what the hell she knows about our UnSub?" "These are a lot of questions, Morgan." Eve said quietly. "Not everything can be explained scientifically, Derek. You gotta be a little bit more open to the unusual." Morgan snorted, "You don´t say so, Agent Mulder, and the truth is out there?" Derek pulled out his cell phone, "Garcia, my girl, we need an address, Miguel Santos, somewhere at the seaside." "Will be done immediately, my chocolate-hero. What about the new kid on the block? Is she holding up? Oh,Oh, you have to be careful, my darling, Santos has several prior convictions for aggravated assault, receiving stolen property and is suspected of dealing drugs, which could not yet be proven. The address is 48, Lennoux Ave. You want me to call Mitchell and ask for some reinforcement? ""No, I don´t think that's necessary. But we will do regular calls, just to be save. Thank´s baby girl, oh, and Eve holds up fairly well." Morgan heard Garcia´s laughter, "well, it´s 'Eve' now?... Over and Out, sugar-plum."

"Mrs. Myers, we're really very sorry, but we need to ask such questions." JJ patted the hand of Father Monaghan's housekeeper, who was sitting at the kitchen table completely dissolved. Gloria Myers now flashed angry glances at JJ, "these are just incredible insinuations, how can you dare. Brandon, Father Monaghan was an honest and warmhearted man, who was not interested in little boys, at all." Rossi and JJ looked at each other, Gloria sounded completely convinced, the agent's guessed why. "How long did you have a relationship?" Rossi asked, handing the woman a handkerchief. "Almost 15 years," Gloria sobbed, "he was such a good man, who on earth would have any reason to kill him?" "Did someone know about your relationship?" JJ wanted to know and Gloria shook her head, "No, certainly not. We were always very discreet. We both knew, what was at risk and what was going to happen, if anyone knew about it. Brandon was so committed to his job, he would have never been able to do without it, to serve the Lord was his life and I never insisted. He would have been no longer the same person, I fell in love with, you know? "

JJ nodded, she knew damn well, what it was like, having secrets. "Has there been anything unusual lately?" Rossi asked, "not that I noticed, I´m sorry. Everyone is so excited because Bishop Maynard visits Baton Rogue. It´s his hometown. He will also visit St. Gregory, this was his last parish before he got promoted." "When will the bishop be here?" persisted JJ. "Actually, on Saturday, but given this circumstances .." Gloria began to cry again. "Um, excuse me? ? I wanted to ask, what about the garden, Ma'am?" "Who are you?" Dave glanced at the man at the back door. "Daniel Taggart, Sir. I take care of the parish garden. I can see already, it´s not an appropriate time, I'm sorry, because of Father Monaghan. He was always very friendly." Gloria Myers nodded, "I got your number, Dan. The new ..." Gloria couldn´t go on. "I already understand, Ma'am."

"At the right hand side, in 50 m." Eve said and had to grab the door handle, when Morgan cut the corner and less than 2 minutes later stopped at a warehouse complex. 'Santos Warehouse' was painted over the front door. "Ok, we have got a plan or are we just showing our badges?" Eve asked and got out of the car. "We take the direct route, Gardiner. We enter, show our credentials, get info's and get out." Morgan grinned at Gardiner and Eve rolled her eyes a bit. Morgan tried to cheer her up, clearly. Derek knocked at the door and entered the building, followed by Eve. "Miguel Santos?" Morgan exclaimed, "Who wants to know?" replied a grim-looking fellow, obviously one of Santos bodyguards. "Gardiner and Morgan, FBI," Eve showed her badge. "We want to talk to Miguel." "Miguel is not there," the giant crossed his arms. "Are you kidding me, man? Who is sitting in his office? His astral body?" Morgan grunted and pulled the photo out of his pocket. "We are neither drugs squad, nor Immigration Department. We want to know if you sold this recently." The bully made no effort to move even a little. "Well, I wouldn´t dare to decide, what´s need to know for my boss. What do you think, Morgan?" "Hotch would take that damn bad, Gardiner. I think he would bust your ass." Eve looked at the bodyguard, "You dare?" she said. "Miguel Federales!"

"You don´t have to shout like hell, Hector." Santos bothered himself to leave his office. "What can I do for my friends from the FBI?" he asked generously and showed a fake smile. His eyes were wandering up and down Eve´s body. He liked, what he saw. "Why do you hang around with the Federales, I could offer you a lot more," he said, leering.

Morgan gave him an unfriendly look and handed him the photo in his hand. "You sold something like that?" "Maybe, maybe not." "Miguel", Eve said, "it's not important to us, where you get your stuff from, right? All we want to know is, who, when and how many? Like you said, you have a lot to offer, I am sure, these daggers are among it." Eve slowly walked around Santos and tried to throw a few glances at his range. Miguel stared at Eve's ass greedily and earned an annoying "hey, this is where the action is", by Derek. Miguel raised his hands, "all right, hombre. I didn´t grab at her. We sell these things, that's right. About two weeks ago, there was a guy, who has purchased five of them. Said it would be gifts for friends. ""Five?" Eve asked, "then he isn´t finished yet. There are two more on his list. Who was that guy, did you know him?" Miguel did not answer immediately, you could see the little wheels in his brain turning, "You´re looking for the guy who killed the priest? That would have to be worth something, wouldn´t it?" Derek grabbed Santos by the collar. Hector tried to reach his weapon. "Don´t be stupid", Eve said and pulled the Glock. "Listen, man, I can easily come up with a search warrant or maybe the better choise, the tax investigation. So tell me about this guy." Miguel swallowed, obviously this FBI guy was in a bad mood. "Okay, okay, calm down. I was joking. I´ll tell what I know, but take your hands off!"

JJ and Rossi and were on their way back to the precinct. Dave looked at JJ. She didn´t say a word for the last ten minutes. "What are you thinking?" he asked after a while. "Gloria Myers. 15 years, Dave. They kept hiding for 15 years. How could she bear this? Not to touch him in public, or kiss him?" "You are asking me, seriously, JJ?" Rossi looked at her straight, "I am the last person who should cast the first stone, but what's wrong with you and Hotch? And don´t insult me by pretending there is nothing going on. What about Will and Henry? I know you, JJ. You don't feel comfortable, cheating on Will. You´re almost married, JJ. Will you throw it all away and leave Will? For Aaron?"

"I don´t know Dave! Is that what you want to hear? I have no fucking idea how to go on. I love Will, kind of, he is Henry's father, and he has given up so much for me and Henry. But when I´m with Hotch, for a few hours, everything is different. He makes me breath again, Dave. I feel so loved, not possessed. "JJ began to cry. I don´t know what to do, anymore Dave. I´m so confused. "JJ sobbed, "You must think I'm crazy, compared to Eve, my problems are ridiculous."

"That´s all you know about that man?" "Told you everything, Lady. I am cooperative. Medium size, dark hair and a full beard. The color of his hair could be different, too. He wore a hoodie, so I only assumed he had dark hair, didn´t see very much. I wouldn´t recognize him again. And, if you may have noticed, we don´t have any surveillance cameras, wouldn´t be good for my business. Listen, I don´t want any trouble with the Federales and especially, I don´t want to get in trouble with Mama Salazar." He added after a look at Eve's necklace. Morgan left his calling card on the table, "Just in case, You or Hector can think of something else."

Morgan and Gardiner left the warehouse without any problems. "I have to apologize, Gardiner," Derek said , before the hit the car again. "What for?" Eve asked, surprised. "That was good work in there. You have done well. I would have bet, you´d hit the wall immediately,when I saw you the first time." "You don´t need to apologize, Morgan. This day isn´t over, yet." Eve said, holding out her hands, which were shaking very noticeably. "Hotch pulled me out of the tub, I cut my wrists. He told you that?" Morgan shook his head, deeply shocked. "So you know now. And I´m drinking, Derek. Not at the moment, I've been sober almost three days now and that's exactly how I feel right know. Hotch has made very precise rules and I do not know if I can make it through. Earlier, I talked to Reid, we will share a room and he offered to support me, in every possible way. So, don´t excuse yourself, Morgan. Please."


	7. its all make-believe

"Hey. There is no evidence, that Monaghan ever abused anyone. Bye-bye abuse-theory." Rossi made a frustrated sound, poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down next to Hotch. "There is news from Morgan and Gardiner." Hotch replied. "We know where the unsub has bought the murder weapon, and he bought five of it." "So we have to be fast, otherwise we have two more dead priests and the Church is understaffed, anyway." Joked Rossi. "Dave," Hotch said reproachfully. "But Rossi is right. During the last 5 years in the United States two major seminaries had to close. In Europe, three of them were shut down." Chimed in Reid, "the Catholic Church is not only running out of priests, but also out of members. In Boston, for example, the number of people, leaving the Church has increased by 12.78%. What is also due to the lack of processing the abuse cases. Also, the Church´s regulations for prevention or abortion is not to be out of consideration." Reid poured himself a fresh coffee, also. "But, that doesn´t help us in this case," he concluded then.

Eve and Morgan remained silent on the way back to the precinct. Morgan's thoughts circled around his new colleague. Eve had his fullest consideration. He had miscalculated her, she was tougher than she looked. And she was honest, brutally honest. Life kicked her ass, but she stood up again. Derek owed an apologize to Hotch, his knowledge of people stunned him again and again. Eve will get any support, she needs, Derek thought.

"You have not told me about that 'sister-thing' and the heritage, you´re denying," Morgan asked her. "I thought, maybe you forgot about it," Eve smiled briefly. "Not a chance, sweety, what secret are you hiding?" "Well, there is an easy explanation, why she called me 'sister',we are both women ..." Derek was not sure, whether Eve was kidding and looked at her questioningly. "Well, no more games to play. I assume she was referring to our shared first name, it´s Genevieve on my birth certificate. Eve is only the short form. I had told you that my grandmother was born near Galway? She belonged to the Travellers, she and her people were moving from fairground to fairground. My grandma was a medium, kind of. The Tinker were also called Irish gypsies, but that is not correct, there are no connections to the Sinti or Roma. My mother always claimed that I inherited my grandmother´s gift, at least I look like Grainne Leary, like a spitting image of her." "What did your grandmother do? Did she hand-reading?" Eve nodded, "she did. And love and protection spells, cleansing rituals, pendulum dowsing, card-reading, all those kind of things. I was ten when she died. I don´t remember a lot of things, my grandmother told me, but when Mambo Salazar had put the mojo bag into my hand ... I know, it sounds crazy, but I exactly know, what to do with it." "But it's still hocus-pocus, right?" replied Derek. "Of course you have to believe, in the first place, Derek. But that is also what you have to in Christianity. You have to believe in Virgin Mary, or the fact that Jesus was able to walk on water, you know?"

"And what do you believe in, Gardiner? In God?" Eve looked in Derek´s eyes, "God? I believe, God has abandoned mankind long ago, Derek."

"Here you are," Hotch sat beside JJ on the little bench in the park, Reid and Gardiner were sitting earlier this day. "You've been crying," stated Aaron and took JJ's hand. "Don´t do that, Aaron. Someone might see it." JJ pulled her hand away. "I do not care, JJ." Hotch took her hand again. "I don´t want this secrets anymore, Jenny. You mean a lot to me, do I really have to tell you so?" Hotch almost whispered, but the words literally pushed his lips. "This is certainly not the appropriate time, JJ. But could you at least think about us?" JJ nodded, "I´m thinking about us for days, Aaron. These secrets are killing me. I´ll talk to Will, when we´re back home. Not immediately, I won´t blurt it out, but I talk to him. Promise." "That's good enough for me, JJ," Hotch stole a quick kiss from her and went back to the precinct. JJ gazed after him, smiling. She could have sworn that Aaron had just made a little hop.

Meanwhile, Morgan and Gardiner were also back in and stood together with Reid and Rossi in front of the whiteboard. "What is it, we don´t see?" Eve asked, "none of our victims has skeletons in the closet." "but Monaghan had an affair with his housekeeper," Reid interjected. "This has nothing to do with his death." "What makes you so sure Gardiner? Maybe a believer felt betrayed by his priest?" Rossi speculated. "That would explain the murder of Monaghan, but not the murder of Duncan and O'Donnell. Plus, he has two other victims on his list and remember how he prepared them, he flaunts them... " "What else, Eve?" Morgan asked. "He sends a message," Hotch completed Eve's sentence. He was standing at the door and had followed the discussion of the team. "And we are not the ones, his message is for." Eve added. "So we find the addressee, we find our unsub. If he stays true to his pattern, then he has another Irish priest in sight." Hotch said.

"But I´m giving this bastard a tough time," Mitchell entered the office, "Ryan, Shaughnessy and Blake. I arranged 24/7 security for them, my guys are currently on the way." "Good," said Hotch. "Tomorrow morning we will interview them. I think we should have dinner and sleep for a few hours, there is nothing we ca do, at the moment. I need a wide-awake team. I'd like to speak to you briefly, Eve." Hotch closed the door, as the others had gone. "Did I do something wrong?" Eve asked. "Not that I know of. We just had no chance to talk to each other, we started very rushed. How are you?" "Reid is like a mother to me and Morgan tries to cheer me up a bit." Eve replied with a small smile. "Apparently, it worked," Hotch smiled back. "Do you have physical problems?" Eve nodded, "nausea, and my hands are shaking frequently. I'm feeling cold and I just want to raid the mini-bar in the hotel." "Reid has already talked to me, you share a room?" "Yes, Reid has offered me that, I hope this is not too inappropriate?" "Let me worry about that, I´m responsible, I´m Unit-Chief. If Strauss has any problems, I´ll answer to her. You share a room for a very good reason, it´s not like.." "like Reid and I were having an affair?" Eve completed in an innocent tone, "but even if that was fact, it would be our own private matter." she added, after a very short break. Hotch gave her an indefinable look. "We should go to the hotel."

The food in the hotel was excellent, Eve actually finished half a plate of tortellini in Gorgonzola sauce, Morgan talked her in even half of his dessert. Crepes with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. "Good girl," he grinned, a few more pounds would suit her very well. Morgan offered Reid to look after Eve together, that night, but his pretty boy had objected vigorously, it was all sorted out, already.

Reid walked into the hotel room with Eve still a bit uncertain. The problem certainly was not, paying attention to Gardiner, rather the fact that there was only a Queen-size-bed. Reid had just become a little afraid of his own courage, Morgan wouldn´t have no problem, Spencer thought annoying, why do I always have to worry? "Door or window?" Eve asked. "Excuse me?" "I wanted to know if you would rather sleep on the window or on the door-side, Spencer," Eve repeated with a smile. She could not help it, but Spencer looked cute, determined but uncertain, yet. "Uh, 81% of men like to sleep on the door-side of the bed, probably to ward off possibly imminent danger", "risk could also lurk at the window," said Eve, looking innocently at Reid. "I will be the first go to the bathroom, if it's all right with you, Spencer." Gardiner grabbed her nightwear and her beauty bag. "Could I take a look in your bag, Eve?" "Of course." Eve closed the door behind herself.

Reid went through Eve's travel bag carefully. It was strange to invade her privacy, but Spencer knew from his own experience how addicts behaved and that control was necessary. Eve did not have anything with her, which would have been unusual. Spencer flipped through the Stephen King novel, she had in her bag. She used a photograph for a bookmark. It showed Eve with a man and a sweet little girl, maybe seven or eight. Apparently it came from happier days, all of them were smiling into the camera. "That was two years ago at Disney World," Eve said quietly and sat down next to Reid. "Carrie had jostled for months, on her seventh birthday Craig and I surprised her with the trip. We do look happy, right? But, Craig was already fucking his secretary and Carrie was already sick. Appearances are deceiving sometimes, it´s just make-believe, Spencer. But I don´t have to tell a profiler, do I?"

JJ turned from one side to the other. She longed for Hotch. Since she decided to come clean with Will, she felt immensely relieved. Hotch had almost said it earlier, these three words that JJ wanted to hear from him, for so long. Was he still awake? Bet he is, JJ thought. Actually, they did not sleep together when they were on the job, Hotch didn´t wanna lose the focus on the case, but JJ was trying to throw this overboard. Today, a decision was made, for Hotch and against Will. JJ heard a soft knock on the door. "Room Service", JJ grinned, two souls, one thought. She opened the door. "Actually, I did not order anything," she said. "You let me in, anyway?" Hotch wanted to know, "I know, I´m breaking my own rule, but..," JJ pulled him into the room and shut his mouth with a kiss. "I love you, Aaron," she said softly, "we have wasted so much time." She put her arms around his neck. "That will not happen again, Jenny," Hotch said and carried her to the bed. He pulled JJ´s shirt over her head and did the same with his. Although JJ knew the scars on Aaron's chest, her breath sat still for a moment. How could Hotch manage, not to think about them, any moment? JJ was stroking gently over his scars and moved her hand a little further down to open belt and pants. "JJ", Hotch moaned softly as her hand disappeared into his boxers. "Not so fast, Jenny, please." JJ laughed darkly, "fast is good, Aaron." She shifted upward in bed and let Aaron strip her panties. Hotch also got rid of all unwanted clothes. "Are you still sure about doing it fast?" Hotch asked hoarsely, as he had pulled on the condom and slipped between her legs. "We can take our time, Aaron. The next time. For now I want you hard and fast, no foreplay, just do it. Now." JJ stifled a scream, as Hotch did what she wanted.

**Hey, out there, someone still with me? What about a tiny little comment? It wouldn´t cause any pain, but make me smile, all over..**


	8. Sin s price

Reid had a restless night. Eve woke up again and again, once she felt too cold, then too hot, she often wept and sobbed aloud. At one point, Spencer didn´t know, how he could reassure her anymore and wrapped his arms around her. "It's all right, you're not alone. Shh, shh, shh." Gradually, Eve became really quiet. Reid had his arms tightly around her and could now feel her warm, steady breathing on his chest. Spencer was never really comfortable with being touched and hugged, he felt inadequate, compared with Morgan, who seemed to consist entirely of muscle mass. Reid, however, recognized that night that it did not need muscles, to give comfort and closeness. Arms were perfectly adequate.

"What are you going to tell you Will?" Hotch asked and gently stroked over JJ's butt. JJ just sighed, "the truth, I guess. He must be aware that something between us is no longer in order, anyway. There is a lot, you can say about Will, but he is certainly not stupid. Moreover, he does not deserve that I continue to lie to him. I am the one, that made a mistake, some years before. I've started a relationship, although I didn´t really love Will. I would have been able to raise Henry by myself, if I had to." "I'm sure," said Hotch, "and perhaps it would have caused me to finally speak up. It made me almost crazy to see you with Will. But I never wanted to be someone, to crush a relationship. "JJ kissed him, "and now it happened that way. But I am very happy, Aaron, really." JJ slid up close to Hotch. "I love you," Hotch started to answer that just as JJ's cell phone rang. "At 3 a.m., JJ?" he asked in surprise. JJ looked at the display. "That´s not him, I don´t know this number, Aaron. Jennifer Jareau? Yeah, I am, what ... how bad is it? I'm in Baton Rouge, right now. I'll be there, as fast as I can." JJ hang up, pale as a sheet. "That was the Washington Memorial Hospital, Aaron. It .." JJ started to cry. "What happened? Something with Henry? Is he all right JJ?" High shook her a bit. "It's Will, there was an accident, he..oh my God, he hit..." JJ sobbed again. "Jenny, what´s up? Is Will ok?" "Now I'm paying for my sins, Aaron. I lied, because of Emily, and I´m with you, secretly... Will´s car hit a bridge pile, they put him straight into surgery." JJ got up and put her clothes on. Hotch sat on the bed, speechless. It was just obvious that this accident would put everything back into question again. He lost JJ to Will, for the second time.

Eve woke up, somehow tied in a knot. Reid had his long arms like a vise around her, she lay half on his chest and her arms embraced his waist. The position was perhaps a bit uncomfortable, but not unpleasant, Eve thought. She had almost forgotten what it was like to wake up, not being alone. And even if she had no sexual interest in Reid, it was nice to feel someone. "Good morning," Reid whispered, stroking Eve's red curls, unwarily. Shortly thereafter, he muttered a frightened, "Sorry," he was way too close, Spencer thought. Reid loosened his arms quickly. "It's all right, Spencer, all right. Really. I gave you a rough night, I suppose? I´m sorry, but I appreciate your presence very much." "We have come along quite well, I think," Reid whispered uncertainly, his body behaved in a very, very inappropriate way. And even if he was always teased by Morgan, Reid was not completely immune to a warm woman body pressed against him. He could hear Eve laughing softly, "I think you should be the first one to enter the bathroom," Spencer disappeared in a flash.

Hotch was already sitting at the breakfast table, as the rest of the team sat down, also. "There is something, I have to tell you," Hotch began quietly. "JJ is on her way back to D.C. She took a plane, two hours ago. Will had a car accident. There was a chase and Will and his partner ran the squad car into a bridge abutment. His colleague was killed instantly, Will is under surgery, the last few hours. It doesn´t look good." "And how is JJ?" Rossi asked immediately. "What do you think, Dave? She has not spoken a single word, on the way to the airport." If someone from the team was wondering just why Hotch had driven JJ to the airport, no one asked or made any comment.  
The breakfast was almost silence, everyone was busy with his own thoughts.

Detective Mitchell was already waiting for the team, at the precinct. "We have Ryan, Shaughnessy and Blake in protective custody. We put them separately. And, there is a Monsignore Castillo, who wants to talk to someone from the FBI." "I can handle Castillo," offered Eve and Hotch nodded. "Where is he?" "Right over there, Agent Gardiner." said Mitchell. Castillo got up and shook Eve's hand. "You are Monsignore Castillo? My name is Eve Gardiner, I´m with the FBI. What can I do for you, sir?" Eve took the man into an empty office and sat down with him at a table.

"It's certainly not quite correct, that I am here, Agent Gardiner." he said after a while. "We work at a triple homicide, Monsignore. Correctly or not, you should tell me why you are here. Can you give any relevant information?" Castillo was silent and Eve gave him an impatient look. "I belong to the staff of Bishop Maynard, Agent." "Bishop Maynard. What about His Excellency? Monsignore please. Don´t let me pull every worm out of your nose, maybe, you simply imagine, you are confessing." Castillo sat up straight, "Our bishop wanted to visit his former parish of St. Gregory, at saturday. He was horrified at what has happened with Father Monaghan." "Don´t forget that happened to Father Duncan and Father O'Donnell too," added Eve. She just had the feeling, there was some light at the end of the tunnel. Could it led to the unsub? "His Excellency has received a parcel, the morning after Father Duncan's death, and after Father O'Donnell's and again this morning, another one came. Maybe it means nothing, but His Excellency is behaving strangely, I would describe it almost as anxious." Castillo took a deep breath, this was not a very pleasant situation. He jerked his chair back and forth. "What else do you have in mind, Monsignore?" Eve sat on the table in front of Castillo. "I wish you would stop beating around the bush, Castillo. We have already got three dead priests and the offender has two more on his list. Would you like to become an accessory of this crime? You, a man of God?"

"Um, t-there are a few rumors about Bishop Maynard, he is taking the expression 'brotherly love' very literally, and his brothers are very young, if you know what I mean." "He is no longer satisfied with killing only foot soldiers," Eve said to herself, "You stay here, Monsignore." Eve went outside. "Garcia? It´s Gardiner I need everything you have on Bishop Maynard, as quickly as it comes." "I´m always as quick as possible, my honey-bee. Carson Maynard. Looks like, he knows the right persons, if I may say so. He got promoted very fast, Darling. He started here in Baton Rouge, Oh, there might be something, he was the head-master of St. Sebastian, a Catholic boys School here. However, that was already 28 years ago "," compare our victims with the student lists, and add Ryan, Blake and Shaughnessy, also." "You are so good, Gardiner. John Duncan and Willard Blake, 1984-89 in St. Sebastian, same class, same head-master. I´ll text you the other students names." "Thank you, Garcia", "You're welcome, honey, any time."

"Detective Mitchell? Who of them is Blake?" "The one, Hotchner and Reid are sweating, Ma'am." Eve knocked on the door, "Hotch, can I have a word with you, please? It's important."  
"Eve, what is it?" Hotch closed the door behind him. "His goal is Carson Maynard. Duncan and Blake were students at St. Sebastian. The bishop was there, he was the head-master and his secretary, Monsignore Castillo told me, there have been rumors, His Excellency liked little boys. And, icing on the cake, Maynard gets packets, three packets, Hotch. One after each killing." Hotch patted Eve´s shoulder. "He sends Maynard the tongues. Good work, Eve. I knew, it wasn´t a mistake, to let you join the team. Blake belongs to you."  
Gardiner and Hotch walked into the interview room together. "Father Blake? I am SSA Eve Gardiner. I want to talk to you about St. Sebastian, Carson Maynard and John Duncan." Blake turned pale, but said nothing. "Willard, I know what Maynard has done to you and John Duncan. Perhaps to even others. One of them is currently running wild, Willard. He killed three persons. He raped them, cut their tongues out and stabbed them to death." "Oh, stop that, please! I don´t wanna hear!" Blake cried. "He has two more victims in sight, Willard. You and Carson Maynard. I guess, it's time to talk."

JJ walked into the lobby of the Washington Memorial. She trembled, Will's boss, Lt. Marx had called earlier, Will was still in the operating room. "JJ, good thing you're here." Samuel Marx came up to JJ. "What's happened? Will had scheduled two days off, why was he working?" "I understand that you´re upset, JJ. Half of my men are lying down with a virus, we had to call everyone in, who was healthy. It was just a routine check, the driver has suddenly lost his nerve and has fled. Will and Mike were after him. A trucker has missed a red light and has pushed their car to the bridge piers. The firefighters had to cut them out of the wreck, JJ. For Mike, any help was too late, Will was unconscious." Marx took JJ to the waiting area, where a few other colleagues of Will were waiting, already. JJ felt terrible, as they encouraged her, she felt like the biggest hypocrite ever. A few hours earlier she had decided to leave Will and start a new life, with Hotch. She had to think of Hotch's face, as he was sitting on the bed. He knew exactly what this accident meant for them. The end of their future. JJ was sobbing uncontrollably.

"You think you know everything? You have no idea what he did to us." Willard Blake crossed his arms, for a brief moment, he looked like a copy of Hotch. It reminded Reid at this morning, at breakfast, Hotch seemed even gloomier than usual. Probably he was thinking of JJ and Will, as they all did. "Why don´t you tell me, Willard," said Eve and gently laid her hand on the priests. "Maynard must do penance, Father Blake. You know that." "Maynard is a pig. There were four of us. John, Daniel, Lyle and myself. Maynard had picked us, because we come from devout, Irish homes. Probably he thought, it wouldn´t be risky at all, nobody dared to unpack. "  
Hotch gave Blake a handkerchief. "He has abused us for months, forced us to, to do it with each other. He watched us, when we did it, he became so horny, and when we were finished, he picked one of us and fucked him again. My faith tells me, I must not hate, but God forgive me, I hate Carson Maynard. Danny couldn´t bear it anymore, he asked the school doctor for help. But when it came to a debate with Maynard ... " Blake could not go on. "All of you kept silent," Reid and Hotch said almost simultaneously. Blake nodded, "I will never forgive myself. Danny said we would pay for that sin, sometime." Eve still held Willard's hand. "Danny? What´s his last name? We'll find out anyway, Willard, please." "Daniel Taggart. It's Daniel Taggart you´re looking for. He payed me a visit, three weeks ago, when it was distributed, that Maynard would show up in Baton Rouge. He told me he wouldn´t let him escape, not this time. " "How O'Donnell and Monaghan fit in your story, Father Blake?" Hotch wanted to know. "Danny had confessed to O'Donnell, he told me also that O'Donnell was horrified about what Maynard did. According to Danny, he didn´t want to mess with Maynard, he is too influential. Monaghan, I don´t know, Danny has never mentioned him."

Mitchell opened the door, "Guys, it's just coming in. A man has invaded the private mansion of Bishop Maynard and has entrenched himself with him."


	9. payback

"My son!" Daniel Taggart yelled, "don´t you dare to call me that way, one more time, you filthy bastard!" Taggart brutally beat the bishop's face. "Use my name, scumbag" "I don´t know your name, my son," the anxious churchman replied. Taggart hit him once again, completely outrageous. "How can you not know my name?" Daniel grabbed Maynard by his collar and shook him. "Look at me, closely. Boy-fucker. We were four, in St. Sebastian´s, John Duncan, Willard Blake, Lyle Kellan and me. Well, what´s my name, scumbag? Tell me!" "D-Daniel T-Taggart," stuttered the man, "good boy," Daniel replied, stroking the cheek of the Bishop. "Do you remember that phrase? That´s what you always said to us, good boys. Worship the Lord, you said. Disrobe, Bishop, it's time for payback." Taggart glanced at the small altar boy, who was sitting crouched and completely motionless in a corner. "What is your name?" Daniel asked. "Samuel," the boy croaked hoarsely. "You look like his type. How old are you, son?" Samuel did not answer. "There is no need, to be afraid of me, I won´t harm you, son. But this man, he is the devil. It´s him, you have to be afraid of." Taggart pointed at the Bishop. "I'm 12, Mr. Taggart, sir." Sam whispered. "Are you still innocent? Or did he lay his dirty hand on you, Samuel? You know what I'm talking about, right?" Sam nodded hesitantly and sniffed, "He has touched my ass, sir. I told him, not to, but, but he merely laughed. H-He said that I should be a good boy." Sam was trembling like a leaf, in his corner and Taggart turned around, he was red with anger. "Do it faster, Bishop," he hissed at Maynard, who was still fumbling around at his cassock. "You finally pull off your clothes, otherwise, I give you a hand." Taggart was holding the dagger very close to the Bishop´s nose. "I'm not kidding, Bishop! You can ask Duncan, O'Donnell and Monaghan. GO AHEAD!"

"Where are they, Burghardt?" asked Mitchell, who had arrived with the team at the property of the Bishop. "In the study, sir. It´s on the first floor. Taggart has closed the wooden shutters, so we can´t enter through the window. He is with the Bishop and according to Father Jones there is also a 12-year-old in the study, sir." Burghardt said. "The boy is safe," Reid said immediately. "How can you be so sure?" Burghardt wanted to know. "Because the boy is a potential victim of the Bishop and Taggart sympathizes with him," Reid explained." Reid is right ", agreed Morgan. "Has anyone talked to him, yet?" "Nope, Agent Morgan, we wanted to wait for you." Hotch nodded, "Very reasonable. The SWAT team has to wait in the background. As long as he has hostages and the situation is so complex, we don´t rush in. Maybe we can convince him to give up, but at least we have to get that boy out of there. The number in his study? " "Just press one, sir. " Burghardt said.

"When I said, put your clothes down, I meant everything, Maynard. Remember how we had to stand in line before you, all naked? The horny glances you gave us? We had to touch ourselves, while you rubbed your cock? Do you remember, Bishop? I can think of nothing else, for years." Taggart was startled when the phone suddenly rang. "WHAT?" "My name is Rossi, I´m with the FBI, Daniel. 'We have already seen each other, do you remember? Mrs. Myers? At the rectory?" Hotch and Rossi had agreed that Taggart should talk to someone who had to at least seen him before. "You and the cute blonde woman, I know you." "That's right, Daniel. We want you to let Sam and the Bishop go. We know what he did, Daniel. He will receive his punishment, I promise. " Taggart laughed, "His punishment? Are you kidding me? No one will dare to imprison a Bishop, they will hush as they always do. Maynard will continue to fuck innocent children and no one will be interested. You can pick up the boy, he has nothing to do with. Send in a woman to pick him up. "

Taggart slammed the phone down. "They want to send you to jail, did you hear that? I will send you straight to hell, priest. My version, I like better. Sam? I want you to turn around now. With your face to the corner and start your iPod, real loud, you know what I mean? " Sam nodded and did what Taggart ordered him to do. "And you, my friend Maynard, you´re going to bend over that chair back, Bishop. You're going to spread your legs and keep your mouth shut. If I even hear a sound, I cut you open, straight away, have I made myself clear?" Maynard could only nod. He heard startled, as Taggart opened his zipper and opened his eyes in shock, as Taggart brutally pushed himself into him.

Derek again closed Eve´s vest and Spencer quite stealthily pressed her hand. "Ok. Again, I do not want to take an unnecessary risk, Eve. Go in there, get the boy and get out again. Understood?" Hotch asked emphatically. He did not feel comfortable, sending Eve into the lions' den, but the alternative, JJ was not available.

"Mrs. LaMontagne?" The surgeon came into the waiting room. JJ didn´t corrected the man, it would have made no sense. She just stood up. "What about Will?" Dr. King led JJ into the hall. "I'll be honest with you. We almost lost him twice. Your husband is in ICU, we have placed him in an induced coma. We had to remove his spleen, which is not as dramatic, you are able to live without it, that´s no problem. Moreover, there was a scribe of the aorta, a contusion of the liver and multiple broken bones. What we are most concerned of, at the moment, are the head injuries. Your husband suffers from a skull fracture and intracranial pressure is too high. Currently, all we can do, is wait. King opened the door to the ICU. "Just a few minutes, Mrs. LaMontagne." A nurse helped JJ to put on a scrub and then JJ sat next to Will's bed. JJ almost lost track of the vast number of devices and machines, surrounding Will. His left leg was bolted from the outside, like a frame, his left arm had a splint. Will´s face had scrapes and bruises and his head was bandaged. JJ sobbed, he looked terrible. She wanted to leave Will, because she no longer loved him, but given this circumstances? Was that the punishment for her infidelity? But why did Will have to pay for it? "I'm so sorry," JJ whispered and grabbed his hand, "Oh God, Will , You can´t die, please. I will try to make amends. I'm gonna be a good wife, I promise."

Eve knocked on the door of the study. "Daniel? It´s Eve Gardiner I'm with the FBI. I wanna pick up Samuel, you and Rossi talked about that. Daniel, can I come in?" Behind the door, scratching and sliding noises were heard, apparently Taggart blocked the door. "You can come in now, but don´t be stupid, take the boy, only him." Eve lifted the door handle, the door opened just a crack, just wide enough for Eve to fit through. An antique desk was blocking the door. Taggart stood at the window with the Bishop, holding the dagger to the bare-naked man´s throat. Eve remarked immediately what was running down the Bishop´s legs. Her compassion was limited. "Only the young one," repeated Taggart, "he hasn´t seen or heard anything, he was listening to his iPod." Eve nodded, "I understand, Daniel. Sam, come here to me." The little boy did not move. "Samuel, you have to come with me, your mother is waiting outside, you hear me?" Eve said emphatically and finally the boy responded. He threw himself into Eve's arms. She kissed him on his hair, "all right, darling. Just go." Eve pushed Sam through the door. "Why don´t you give up, Daniel? You have made your position quite clear. Out there is a lot of press, you could tell your story, Daniel. They would have no chance to conceal and cover up everything. That's what this is all about, right?"

"Do you think, she can talk him out of this?" asked Derek, they followed the discussion over the little mike, Eve was carrying. "She should just get the boy out of there, but I think her chances are pretty good." Hotch growled. Rossi and Reid had received Sam and handed him over to his weeping mother.

"Daniel, you can trust me. I can help you to make it public. They'll have no choice, but to admit everything, everything what happened at St. Sebastian´s. With you and the other boys, Daniel. I spoke to Willard, he is at the precinct and he talked, Daniel. He told us everything. Come on, this is no longer necessary." Eve moved slowly with slightly raised hands towards Taggart. "Give me the Dagger, Danny. He is not worth it, he is just a poor, old man. Look at him, Danny. He is done. Finished with God and the world," Eve had almost reached Taggart.

"That's great, my girl," Derek whispered in the adjoining room, "You can do it."

Eve was on the verge to Taggart, as Maynard lost his nerve and started to flail around. He caught Eve at the temple and she immediately went to the ground. "What are you doing, you asshole," Daniel cried and pushed Maynard against a shelf. "Miss? Are you okay?"

A moment later, the SWAT team rammed the door. Morgan burst into the room and crossed over the desk, followed by Hotch, Rossi and Reid. Morgan pounced on Taggart and knocked the knife out of his hand. Rossi and Hotch grabbed Maynard and Reid knelt beside Eve. "You okay? Slowly, I´ll give you a hand." Eve moaned softly and put her hand to her head, I need to work on my reflexes, Eve thought and grabbed Reid´s hand, to get up. "Thank you, Spencer." Eve gave him a small smile and Reid blushed immediately. "Everything okay with you?" Hotch asked. "I almost had him, then Maynard has gone crazy and I got hit. I'm still not as fit as I should be, I almost blew it." Hotch shook his head, "you did not, this could happen to all of us." Hotch nodded to Eve, encouraging. Morgan dragged Taggart outside and Rossi told the Bishop about his right, to remain silent. "How can you dare, I'm the victim here," Maynard snapped, obviously he had regained his speech and his nerves. Rossi handcuffed him after he was dressed scantily, again. "If I were you, I would keep my big mouth shut. There are two of your victims, that will testify against you and I'm sure, there´s more to come. Let´s go."

Maynard was taken into custody by the Baton Rouge PD, the questioning of Daniel Taggart was done by Gardiner and Rossi. "It´s a lot, you ask from her, Hotch. She did a pretty good job, today," stated Morgan. "I know," Hotch said. "But it's important that she's busy. The less she thinks of liquor, the better. Reid told you something about last night?" "He did not. But he is conspicuously red in her presence, I guess, he has a little crush on her." A tiny smile crossed Hotch´s face. "Eve Gardiner one attractive woman, Derek. Don´t tell me, you didn´t notice?" Derek looked extremely innocent. "You never told me, where you first met her, Hotch." Derek tried to change the subject. "From my time in Seattle. We had a unsub who killed Table Dancers. She was the type he was looking for." "She was the bait? She must have been a total rookie." "She had left the Academy five weeks before. She catched the guy almost single-handedly. I noticed her potential back then, Morgan. When Elle left, she was my first choice, but she was on maternity leave. I'm glad to have her in the team, despite everything." "I thought, you made a mistake, Hotch. But you made a good choice, you really did." Derek suddenly became very serious, "Anything, you heard about Will?" "Will is out of the operating room. His injuries are very severe. Reid is on the phone again with JJ and tries to calm her down a bit. There is nothing, we can do, just wait and see."


	10. Witch craft

"There is still one thing I want to know. Why, Daniel?" Eve asked, "why Monaghan, how does he fit in all this?" Taggart covered his face with his hands, "he was just another message to Maynard, St. Gregory was his last parish. Actually, I didn´t want to kill him, but I could not stop, I just lost control. I'm so sorry, I ... I've been like blinded. Oh dear Lord, what have I done?" Taggart sobbed, "Maynard has destroyed so many innocent lives. Know what´s the worst part in this tragedy? I'm no better than him. Can I go to jail, now?" "Yes, of course," Rossi said frustrated, "Go to jail."

Rossi and Gardiner left the interrogation room. "Sometimes it's a bitch of a job, Monaghan was just the wrong man at the wrong place," Rossi grumbled, "but we have met a cliché, the killer was the gardener." "I won´t tell Hotch so, Rossi. I don´t think, this kind of humor is his cup of tea." replied Eve and smiled briefly. "How are you now?" Rossi asked. Eve nodded, "okay, I guess. I'm damn tired and hungry. I also don´t feel the need to jump off the next bridge, at least not at the moment." "It will take a while until you´re fully back on track. But I did see you smile, quite a few times. That's a start, Eve. Have a little patience with yourself." Rossi patted her gently on the back. "Time to go home, there is a plane to catch."

"Thank you, for taking care of Henry, Jess." JJ said, and sat down beside her at the kitchen counter. "You don´t have to say that, JJ. I'm taking care of Jack already and the boys get along very well with each other. For Jack, Henry is like his little brother. He treats him that way." Jess laughed briefly. "But, what about Will, anything new?" JJ shook her head, "the doctors sent me home, but it makes no difference, where I am. I´m worried, anyway." JJ replied. "What does this mean for you and Hotch? Have you talked about it?" "What do you mean?" "Don´t think, I´m stupid, JJ. I do know Hotch, for quite a long time. Yet I see how he looks at you and how you look at him. And I know that he isn´t very happy with that whole situation , even if he loves you. He does not deserve it, hanging on your strings, like a puppet, JJ. You should make a clean sweep, as quickly as possible. "Jess sounded very energetic. She liked JJ, but she hated these secrets. Secrets always cause pain, Jess thought.

"I can not leave Will, Jess." "No? But you can leave Aaron, can you? He loves you for so long, JJ. Don´t do that to him. Don´t break his heart once again."

"What is it?" Rossi asked, "bad news? About Will?" Hotch shook his head, "Our pilot has just called, something is not right with the jet, according to Rick, it makes' funny noises'." He wants to play it safe and ordered the engineer. We won´t get out of here, until tomorrow." "We could not do anything for JJ and Will, at the moment, Aaron," Rossi said and Hotch looked at him seriously. "I'm sure everything ist gonna be all right." "Nothing is going to be all right, Dave, absolutely nothing." Hotch said frustrated. "It is time for me to face the truth. Some people are just meant for each other and some are not. We are the latter. End of the story, Dave." The door fall shut hard behind him as he left the precinct.

"Do I want to know, what this was all about?" Eve asked cautiously, she had followed the conversation. "If you want me to be honest, then probably not. I´d like to pay Mrs. Myers another visit, I think she deserves to know why her friend died. Why don´t you come along?" Eve smiled, "It´s fascinating how you try to keep me in all this movement in order to prevent me from entering the next bar. I am grateful, Dave. I really am. But I want to lie down a bit, I am perfectly done. I will ask Spencer to accompany me to the hotel." "And I would like to do that." Spencer agreed from the background. "We can leave, whenever you want, Eve. Dinner at 7 p.m., Rossi?" Rossi nodded. "You know about the problems with the jet?" "Yes, Hotch has just told us. Honestly, I rather spend another night here in Baton Rouge, than plane-crash. By the way, Do you know, how many people died last year by plane-crash? Exact.." Reid was interrupted by Eve, "Let´s just go, Spence", she said, smiling.

Reid showered Eve with information about Baton Rouge, as they drove to the hotel together. He was also distracting himself a bit from the fact, spending another night in the same bed with Eve. Morgan had hit the nail on the head, Spencer became interested in Eve. She was so vulnerable, probably that was the triggering event for Spencer's feelings about her. She also was, Spencer was scanning his mind for the right word, a fragile beauty. Eve was a little older than himself, but for Spencer things like that played only a minor role. Eve held in the parking lot of the hotel. "Spencer? We're here." "Uh, yes. Shall we go for a little walk, or do you want to take a nap? But I don´t want you, I mean. You, um... I don´t want to be a pain in the ass, to use one of Morgans´s expressions." Spencer mumbled uncertainly. "You´re not a pain in the ass, Spencer. Not at all. I'm glad when I don´t have to be alone. If I remember correctly, this hotel has a spa area. It is time, to feel like a woman again. Sauna, steam bath, massage. Did you ever have a full-body oil massage, Spencer? I swear, you will be a whole new person." Eve got out of the car and Reid tried to turn the red on his face again in an acceptable almost white.

"Oh, Miss Gardiner, this has been left for you." The man at the desk handed Eve a huge bouquet. "Do you know anyone here?" Reid asked surprised and Eve reached for the card that was in the roses. _Sure about hanging around with the federales, Chica? Our possibilities would be indefinitely. M.S. _

"What a brazen bastard", Eve cursed. "Santos sent me that. Morgan almost slapped him and he tries to hit on me again. You may keep the roses here at the front desk, it would be unfair to keep these beauties for myself." said Eve sharply. "Santos? Taggart bought the dagger at his place?" Eve nodded, "a slimy bugger, Spencer. Reminds me a lot of Jabba the Hutt." Eve shook involuntarily and Reid tried desperately to get rid of his mental cinema. Imagining Eve in Princess Leia's more than scarce costume, was...wow.

Dave knocked on the door of the parsonage. " ? David Rossi, do you remember me?" Gloria Myers opened with a tear-stained face. "Of course, Agent Rossi. Come in. It happens to be on the TV, all the time. Dan killed Brandon? I can not believe, why. Brandon's always been so kind and good to him, as we all were." Gloria was sobbing, she was still completely shocked. "I will try to explain , . Daniel Taggart and John Duncan joined St. Sebastian´s. Bishop Maynard was the headmaster, back then and had abused the boys sexually. Daniel has killed Duncan because he kept silent, about what happened. Recently, he then turned to Father O'Donnell and confessed to him, Daniel was begging for help, to tell the public, what kind of guy Maynard was, but for O'Donnell it was more important to keep his own ass safe. He didn´t want to do anything, to blame Maynard, that´s why he had to die. " "But Brandon? He didn´t like Maynard. He always said he was one with something to hide, no one increases in the church hierarchy so quickly. And, there was gossip. The old parishioners talked about Maynard, no nice things, Agent Rossi." Gloria slapped her hand over her mouth, "if Dan had confessed to Brandon and not to O'Donnell, none of this would have happened, am I right?" "I guess, Brandon was the only truly innocent person in this story, Gloria. Maybe everything would have been different, but who can say that." "God? Definitely not," Gloria Myers replied bitterly. "Thank you for coming and telling me, Agent Rossi. This is certainly not self-evident." Rossi squeezed Gloria´s hand, "but it should be."

Eve was the only one in the steam room and she was grateful for that. She opened Mama Salazar´s herbs. The room was quickly filled the heavy scent of incense mixture. Eve sat on the floor, in the middle of a Celtic symbol, which she had placed with the help of the stones from the mojo bag. Eve covered the Veve around her neck with both hands. She moved her upper body back and forth and she murmured old Gaelic words that came from her lips as automatically. Words, so long forgotten and yet so present. I do not deny my heritage, Eve thought, show me my child, Guede. Show me Caroline. Eve's murmur grew louder and more demanding, Eve was drifting away very far. At some point, Eve heard a small voice.

"_Mommy? Mommy, I do not have much time_." "Carrie? Is this you?" Eve whispered, "_Mommy, I love you and I'm fine now. You have to let go, Mommy, I'm_ _fine_." "Carrie? Caroline?" Eve woke up from her trance, also because there was a knock at the door. "Eve? Are you alright, can I come in? You've been in there for almost two hours." Spencer opened the door. "Eve? For heaven's sake, what did you do in here?" Reid knelt beside her. "It's all right, Spencer, I spoke to Carrie." Spencer had to cough and his eyes watered, how could Eve withstand this for two hours? "We must get out, Eve, ok? I will help you, come on." Reid pulled a very rickety Eve up. "Did you take anything, Eve. Drugs?" She shook her head and Reid sat her on the deck chair. He picked up the stones from the ground, quickly, he did not want to take the risk of someone asking stupid questions. Eve performed a ritual, Spencer tought, no doubt to that. And she believed, that she had talked to her dead daughter. Spencer knew how unlikely that was, you couldn´t talk to the dead, no one could.

Spencer helped Eve into a bathing gown, while she got rid of the bath towel, she was wrapped in. "She's fine, Carrie is fine, where she is now, Spencer," Eve smiled happily. Reid stroked her cheek, softly, "that's wonderful, Eve. You must get some rest, now. Do you think you can walk?" "Of course," answered Eve and collapsed. "Eve!" Reid squeaked frightened and grabbed her, just before she crashed to the ground.

"I'm curious like hell, how you´re gonna explain this to me, pretty boy," Morgan said from the background. He went jogging with Hotch and wanted to treat himself with a short sauna session, before lunchtime. "It is not w-what it might l-look like," Reid stuttered and Morgan grinned briefly, "Well, what is it, then? At least you're dressed. What´s the smell in here, is it incense?" Morgan gave Spencer a hand to lay down Eve on the deck-chair again. "Eve? Genevieve wake up, sleeping beauty," Morgan patted her cheek and Eve woke up. "What happened?" she asked, uncertainly. "Why don´t you enlighten us, sweety?" Derek said, "did you do some hocus-pocus?" Eve sat up. "This is not hocus-pocus, Derek. I spoke to Carrie, she said, I have to let her go." "What are you talking about?" Spencer asked, perplexed. "Looks like, we have a little witch in our midst, kiddo. Feeling better?" Eve stood up and walked a few steps. "Guess so. But I need to get some sleep, feels like I did a marathon... And guys? Can this be a little secret between us?" Eve asked. "What happens in Baton Rouge, stays in Baton Rouge", said Morgan and Reid in one voice.


	11. MS

**Sorry for the delay, real life was calling...**

Hotch was still running. Morgan accompanied him a while, but chose to return to the hotel, to have a sauna. Hotch tried to run away from his frustrations, he didn´t have much success, however. Earlier, he tried to call JJ, but after a couple of ringing signs, he was asked to leave a message. Hotch didn´t. Hotch tried to convince himself that the timing was just unfortunate, but it was much more likely that she wouldn´t like to talk to him. Hotch kicked an empty Coke can away. Why did Will have to have this accident? Hotch felt sorry for him, he wanted nothing bad for Will. But he wanted JJ, so badly. He wanted to laugh with her and live a happy fulfilled life with her, Jack and Henry would do so well as siblings, Hotch always had a bad conscience because Jack had to grow up alone. But all of that was a distant vision, if not completely out of reach. Hotch knew her well enough to know that she would never leave Will in a situation like this. Hotch avoided to think over the long-term consequences of this accident, if the injuries were so severe, as he supposed, then perhaps a disability was standing in the room and that would change JJ's entire life.

JJ hung up on Hotch. The Doctors pushed Will straight into the OR. According to Dr. King, the intracranial pressure had grown so dangerous that another surgery was inevitable. King had also asked if there was a living will. JJ felt like she was going to suffocate. Of course there was. Even JJ had one. Will and JJ authorized each other to make the necessary decisions, when necessary.  
The necessary decisions, JJ thought. Was she able to make a necessary decision without feeling like Will's murderer? How could she ever be sure, she had decided for Will's good and not for her own? For a possibility, to ensure a new life with Hotch?

"Excuse me, you´re JJ?" JJ turned and found herself confronted by a young woman with dark hair, her belly showed a little bulge.

"I'm Constance Donovan, Mike Donovan's wife. I´m here for Will, how is he doing?"

For a brief moment JJ wondered, who Mike Donovan was, but then it occurred to her. Mike was Will´s colleague. He and Will had been in the patrol car, Mike didn´t make it.

"Constance, I'm very sorry about Mike. It's terrible what happened. Will is back in the operating room, it doesn´t look good."

Constance sobbed and had to sit down. "Will has often been with us, he and Mike got along well."

JJ sat down beside her. She was just aware of how little she actually knew about Will. He had never told her of Mike and Constance, and she never asked. How could they live next to each other just like that, JJ wondered. But that probably happened when the love was gone.

It was a lucky coincidence, that the elevator from the spa area leaded directly to the hotel floors, so Derek, Spencer and Eve could avoid the crowded lobby. Eve's quite deranged appearance would certainly have raised a question or two. Spencer handed Eve a bottle of water after they had entered their hotel room. "You have to be completely dehydrated, Eve. What were you thinking?"

"She did what she learned from her grandmother, didn´t you Eve?" Derek tried to explain.

"Eve nodded, "suddenly everything returned to me, as if Grainne was sitting next to me and guiding me. I'm sorry if I scared you, Spencer. My grandmother was a medium, she belonged to the Irish Tinker and for them things like this were quite normal, rituals, magic, palm reading."

Eve smiled as she noticed Reid's dumbfounded look," Don´t look so critical, you´re a scientist, I guessed, you're a bit open-minded? Derek thinks, this is hocus pocus and that doesn´t surprise me, yet."

"Now, take a look at her, she is getting bold", Derek grinned, Eve was back on track, maybe not completely, but she was returning to her older self. Good news, they were so badly needed. They were still waiting for a call from JJ, to give them thumbs up, but the longer the waiting lasted, the more the hopes were fading.

"I think Eve should lie down a bit," Spencer said unusually energetic and left the room, pulling Morgan with him.

"Take it slow, pretty boy", Derek grinned, while standing in the hotel corridor. "Got a crush on her, right?"

Spencer blushed, "I don´t know what you mean," he said stiffly.

Derek patted Reid´s back, "there's nothing to be embarrassed about, kiddo. But don´t burn your fingers at her, okay?"

Derek smiled again, and headed towards sauna. It was only short time until dinner, but what the hell, Derek thought. Spencer decided to take a walk and figure out, whether he should tell Eve about his feelings, or not. Reid was missing Emily, she always knew, what to do. Spencer sighed, he missed her a lot. Prentiss had left such a big gap, in situations like that, Spencer missed her so much, that it hurt. He stepped out into the street and took a deep breath. He grabbed his cell phone and tried to reach JJ, maybe the doctors could already tell her something.

Eve was about to lie down for a bit when she heard a noise at the door. "You should not have left in such a hurry, Spencer, your keycard is here on the table." Eve opened the door and suddenly it got dark.

Hotch came back to the hotel completely exhausted. His pulse was racing still like crazy when he got off the elevator. He registered only in the corner of an eye a man with a laundry cart that went past him. Hotch wondered for a brief moment, but was too much lost in his own thoughts, to be really thinking about it. JJ was all, currently running around in his head. He longed for her, for the warmth of her body, the softness of her skin, the moments of intimacy, when they made love and looked each other in the eye. Hotch could literally hear JJ's little squeaks she always made, when she came. He smiled briefly, she was such a stunning woman ... owned by another man, Hotch thought frustrated and let his sports clothes carelessly drop to the floor. He turned on the shower. The water washed off the dust and the sweat, but not Hotch's feelings for JJ.

Constance Donovan refused to go, not before she knew what was happening to Will. She looked at JJ, curious, she was just as Will had told her. Constance sobbed again, Will. She had lied to JJ. Will visited them, that was true, but mainly to see her. It ran for almost a year, it had just happened. Constance was, like Will, from New Orléans. And just like him, she was stranded in DC, because of love. But Mike wasn´t the friendly kind of husband, so to speak. More than once, Constance had to lie, about being clumsy,to explain her bruises. One evening Conny fled to Will, one led to another and ... Both of them knew that it was not right, but somehow they did not care. Constance put a hand on her belly. The baby was Will´s and he had finally made a decision. He wanted to talk to JJ, just when she was back again from Baton Rouge. Everything seemed to turn for the better, until this accident destroyed everything. Constance was in total despair, what should she do? Will can´t die, definitely not. She loved and needed him and he was so excited, about the little boy they would get. And how should she make it clear to JJ, that she had to be with Will, and not her? JJ didn´t belong to Will anymore, doesn´t she see that? Will loves me, Constance thought, take a look, JJ, take a good look.

Spencer finished his walk without finding a satisfying solution. The fact was, and Morgan was right, he had a crush on Eve. He thought of Lila, he had been in love with her, but it was different back then. Eve was different, she was a tough woman who knew exactly what she wanted. And she would want someone like Derek or maybe Hotch. She was a companion for an alpha male, when she was finally herself again. It was impossible that she chose the tall, skinny, inconspicuous one. Reid fumbled in his pocket for the key card, until he realized that it was inside the room, on the table.  
Reid knocked.

"Eve? It´s me, Spencer. I forgot my card, can you please open up?" Spencer knocked again, this time louder and more energetic. "Eve? Please open the door!"

"Reid! What the hell are you doing here, is something wrong?" Hotch stepped out of his room from the opposite side of the corridor. He wasn´t fully dressed, his shirt was still hanging over his trousers and he was not wearing shoes.

"Eve isn´t answering, she doesn´t open the door, Hotch," Spencer said worriedly.

"Do you think, something is wrong?" Hotch asked, pounding with his fist at Eve's door.

"She was all right, when Morgan and I left the room, Hotch."

Hotch hesitated only a moment, then threw himself against the door. She immediately jumped up. "Eve, are you here?" Hotch entered the room. On the bed lay the bath robe, but there was no sign of Eve Gardiner.

Reid went to the bathroom, "she is not here, Hotch!"

Aaron opened the mini bar, it didn´t look as something was missing. A short memory crossed Hotch´s mind, but Reid disturbed his train of thought.

"She can not be gone, definitely not, Hotch."

"Can somebody tell me what's going on?" Rossi looked into the room, curiously.

"Eve's gone." Hotch said.

"What do you mean, gone?" Rossi replied, "where should she go? She's not in the bar, that´s where I come from."

"She wanted to lie down a bit, Eve has been in the steam room, she was quite exhausted." Reid tried to explain.

"Ok, from the start, Reid. You said, you and Morgan were the last to see her? At what time?"

Reid looked at his watch, "that was 46 minutes ago, Hotch. Morgan and I have accompanied her from the steam room to our hotel room, I ... I was worried because she was gone for so long and I checked on her."

"Was there something strange in the spa?" Rossi asked.

"Um, no." Reid was sure, Rossi and Hotch could tell, he was lying, but he had promised Eve, to shut up and he would do so.

Hotch looked at Reid, the little genius was covering up, something. "Reid?" he asked, in his team leader voice.

Spencer has never been so grateful for Morgan bursting into the room. "Hey, what's going on, what´s the big deal?"

"Eve is gone," informed Rossi.

"Maybe she´s in the restaurant?" Derek speculated, then his eyes fell on the chair by the window, Eve's handbag was hanging over the back. Derek didn´t know any woman, who left home without this thing. "Shit," Morgan muttered. On the cabinet door also hung a sleeveless, form-fitting dress, matching high heels were standing next to the closet. Obviously, she wanted to wear that to dinner. Eve wanted to doll her all up, Morgan thought. She wouldn´t leave the hotel, not on purpose.

"I´ll ask at the front desk, if anyone has seen Eve", Rossi left the room.

"I´ll check the bars in the area, although I don´t think she's there," Morgan said.

"Derek is right," agreed Spencer, "Eve hasn´t left to drink, sure not."

Hotch suddenly remembered the laundry man. He doesn´t belong here, not at this time. And in the laundry box was enough space for such a small person like Eve. "Holy crap! The bastard snatched her right under my nose. He passed with her directly behind my back!" Hotch looked even grimmer than usual, who could dare to assault his team?


	12. Conny?

"Would you mind, waiting with you?... I, I don´t know what I should do at home. Lt. Marx wants to take care of the paperwork for the funeral, I would be completely useless."

Constance looked at JJ, pleadingly. JJ nodded.

"Of course. Honestly, I'm glad, I don´t have to wait here all by myself. I couldn´t stay at home, either. Already know what you get?"

JJ tried to change the subject and clear her mind a bit. JJ felt sorry for Constance, losing her husband in this situation, was terrible.

"A boy. We are very pleased." Constance smiled briefly and patted her belly.

"Is there someone taking care of you, Constance?" JJ wanted to know, when suddenly the door from the OR opened.

"You are here for Det. LaMontagne?" the surgeon asked. JJ and Constance stood up at the same time.

"What about Will? Will he, I mean, how is he?" JJ asked, slightly irritated by Conny's behavior.

"I'm Dr. Forrester, the neurosurgeon. We stabilized him, the intracranial pressure has returned to a normal level. We'll take him straight back to the ICU, but I think we can be cautiously optimistic. I must tell you, however, that your husband will take his time to be completely healthy again. But he is young and strong, as I said, cautiously optimistic."

JJ took a deep breath. "Can I see him?"

"Of course. But only one visitor at a time. It will take a while until he wakes up. Maybe he is disoriented and confused, so please don´t be scared. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. King." Dr. Forrester left JJ and Constance alone.

"The laundry man, what did he look like, Hotch?" Spencer asked.

"He was wearing a uniform of the hotel, quite big and tall, I couldn´t see his face exactly, he had turned it away from me. Dark hair, if I remember correctly, I was thinking about something else." Hotch admitted.

"Latino?" Morgan suddenly said.

"Could be, why?"

"Santos bodyguard, Hector," Morgan said. "Santos has formally stripped Eve, when we interviewed him, I almost punched him."

"And he sent roses to Eve, here at the hotel, he knew exactly where we are staying." Reid added.

"Then we will pay Senor Santos a visit," Hotch grumbled and pulled out his cell phone. "Detective Mitchell? Agent Hotchner. This time we need your help."

Slowly the fog disappeared, Eve was dizzy and her head hurt. She remembered Hector, very blurry, he knocked her out. Santos must have lost his mind, kidnapping a federal agent.

"Hola Chica" Miguel said, "back among the living? I must apologize for Hector, he sometimes is a little too eager." Santos stroked Eve's cheek, "I hope he did not hurt you too much. But you did ignore my roses. It gave me a lot of trouble, to get them, my love." Eve turned her head to the side to avoid his touch. Santos had tied her to a chair and dressed her, but it was none of her own clothes, she wore now. It was short and slutty, with a cut to the navel, it barely covered her breasts. Very briefly, she was grateful for her small B cup, it was more than enough, Eve found it hard to breathe, without showing everything. Eve got a very creepy feeling, as she imagined that he had touched her, when he dressed her with that..., whatever it was, it wasn´t a 'dress' at all.

"I have prepared a small dinner for us, Evita. I would like to cut you lose, but I'm afraid that would be a bad idea." Eve looked around carefully, everything swayed, it took a while before she realized that she probably was on a boat.

"Miguel, please. Surely we can talk about everything. It must be clear to you, that I don´t accept the flowers in the presence of my colleagues, don´t you understand? These are serious guys. What kind of impression would that have made? It would be unprofessional. As I said, Miguel, my colleagues don´t understand that kind of fun."

Miguel Santos grinned, "especially the black one, I guess he's having a crush on you, himself." Santos stroked her back and jerked the chair closer to the table. "I hope you brought some appetite. I didn´t know what you like, so I did a bit of everything. Would you like a sip of champagne?"

Eve shook her head, "alcohol makes me sick, I'm sure you wouldn´t like me to puke on your expensive mahogany floor."

"Would not," agreed Miguel and poured Eve a glass of water. Spencer, Eve thought. Live up to your reputation and make a connection. And make it quick.

Eve forced a smile. "Maybe, you untie my hands, Miguel. It would loosen up the mood a little, don´t you think?" Eve tried to give her voice a slightly wicked touch. If she wanted to get out of here, with no scratches, she had to play his game, for better or worse.

"Agent Hotchner? We got a map of the terrain, surrounding Santos warehouse." Det. Mitchell spread out the map in the meeting room of the police station."And we also have the search warrants. The District Attorney nearly did a lap dance, Santos is on our list a very long time, we never had enough evidence. Lucky move, that you were able to identify Hector Clemente."

"How do we want to proceed," Morgan asked.

"We don´t know yet, where he is keeping her, the warehouse is our best option. According to Garcia, he lives at the warehouse, he uses the first floor and he also owns a 3-room apartment in the city center." Hotch said.

"So we split up," Rossi assumed, "Reid and I take his apartment, you and Morgan the warehouse?"

Hotch nodded, "that would be my suggestion."

"Good. Burghardt? You, Miller, Kippling and Sorensen are with Rossi and Reid. Rest of the team is with us." Mitchell commanded.

"I trust you, so don´t you disappoint me," said Miguel, and untied Eve´s hands.

Eve laughed, "Sometimes chains are quite exciting," she said in a very sexy tone of voice, "but when they interfere with eating something isn´t right, don´t you think?" She put her hand on Miguel's and gently stroked it. "Are there any oysters? I love oysters, Miguel. Would you mind, handing me the plate?"

JJ fell asleep at Will's bed, the last couple of hours asked a lot of her and demanded their toll. She dreamed of Hotch. Hotch, who covered her with lovingly kisses, and his tender hands, wandering over her body in excitement. JJ moaned softly and suddenly there was a high-pitched beeping, that abruptly woke her up. "Will?" Will had opened his eyes and reached for JJ's hand. "You're awake, thank God." JJ wanted to ring for the nurse, but an internal alarm was already set, so the night nurse and Dr. King immediately appeared.

"Det. LaMontagne? Nice to see you back again," King said in a soothing tone. You had a car accident, do you remember? We had to do a surgery and the tube in your throat will help you breathing. I will remove the tube, you´ll feel better, then. On 'three' I want you to cough, Ok? "Will nodded almost imperceptible.  
Constance stood in the half-open door and held on to the door frame. She had to use all her strength not to rush into the room and drag JJ away from Will's side. She is no longer wanted here, Constance thought desperately, why doesn´t she leave? Can´t she see, what´s right in front of her?

Will coughed when the tube was removed. He just felt awful. He remembered quite dark Mike, who had tried to avoid the truck, which captured they in full force, and hurled them against the bridge railing. Conny, Will thought, where is she? ".. ny?" he whispered.

"Henry is with Jess and Jack, Will. He's fine, he will visit you as soon as possible." JJ tried to explain, she had interpreted his question as a question for Henry.

"Co ... ny" Will repeated cumbersome, he grabbed JJ's hand and squeezed it. Dr. King took a close look at the two women, he realized sooner than JJ, what kind of drama was going to start.

"Detective, you have to sleep, it was all very stressful. You are still a little confused and need rest. You should leave the patient alone, ma'am," he said, turning to JJ and pushing her out of the room. If the ladies were happy to argue over the man, they might, but not in this room, and not in his shift.

Another man threw himself on 'three' into a door. "Baton Rouge PD! Miguel Santos, you're under arrest!" Burghardt shouted when the door sprang open with a loud noise.

"FBI!" Rossi and Reid also yelled and stormed along with Miller and Sorensen the apartment. "Safe" was heard several times, a few minutes later, it was clear neither Santos nor Eve Gardiner were in this apartment.

"Ok, thanks, Rossi." Hotch put his phone back off. "The flat was a dead-end, no sign of her", Hotch informed the others. He closed his bulletproof vest. They had decided not to rush in. The apartment was small, with no room to hide, this department store was cluttered and full of nooks and crannies, the decision was made, not to alert Santos and penetrate quiet.  
Mitchell gave the signal to start, and a few minutes later Agent's and Baton Rouge PD were jointly sneaking into the dark warehouse.

"The food is fantastic, Miguel," Eve claimed, "perhaps you'd like to tell me a bit about your business? Why do you think, I can be helpful? Anything you have in mind, yet?" Eve tried desperately to keep Santos in the right mood. Her colleagues had to have enough time to find her. Eve was sure, they were already searching the warehouse. She confided in Reid, he knew about the roses, and he knew that she wouldn´t leave the hotel to give herself a shot.

"You think I'm stupid, don´t you, Evita?" Santos asked suddenly and grabbed her roughly by the arm. "Do you think you can wrap me up with your drivel?"

"I don´t know what you´re talking about, Miguel?" Eve asked and gave herself a mental slap. Apparently she was pushing it to hard.

"You're trying to play for time, but your colleagues won´t find you here. No one knows, that boat is mine and Hector will rather die than talk. I think it's time for dessert, my beauty." Santos grinned greedy and put her hand on his crotch. "You feel, you how hot you make me, Chica? You'll scream my name when I take you. And you'll beg me to do it again." Santos pressed his lips on Eve´s mouth and forced entry.


	13. I am not in the mood

He asked for Connie, JJ thought, completely flabbergasted. For Connie, when I'm sitting at his bedside. Could this be true? JJ tried to recap Constance's behavior to figure out, what was going on.

"He doesn´t belong to you anymore, JJ." Constance said suddenly. "Will and you were never ment to be. Will is from the south, like me. We don´t belong here. And we love each other, for almost a year, JJ. Will wanted to talk to you once you are back home. Then the accident happened ... and you have to let him go, JJ. Please."

JJ had to sit down. "That´s Will's baby?" she asked flatly. Constance sat down beside her.

"Yes, it is. And we are very pleased. I´m so sorry, but Will and me, this is something special. I didn´t wanna throw the truth in your face, like that, but Will needs me now." JJ did not know just what happened to her. She felt like being slapped in the face, Will had an affaire and was having a child with another woman.

"Hopefully, Hotch and Morgan will get more lucky in the warehouse," Rossi said, frustrated. The screening of Santos apartment downtown had been a flop. Rossi worried about Gardiner, she was not stable enough to put away a kidnapping.

"There has to be a hint," Reid said to himself, his eyes wandered around the room, books on piracy, the Spanish Armada, Elizabeth I, shipping in general. Santos seemed inclined toward the Elizabethan Age. On a table stood a replica of a Spanish galleon and on the wall hung a glass case, in which there was a pistol from the 17th century, allegedly in the possession of Sir Francis Drake.  
Reid pulled out his cell phone, "Garcia? I need to know if Santos has a boat. What? Boat, yacht, whatever. No? Also no investments? Fuck." Rossi looked at Reid in surprise, since when was the little genius using curses?

"Garcia, I need you to check all ships, hailing port Baton Rouge. I´ll tell you some names, ok? Try Elizabeth. Ok, Elizabeth Regina? Golden Hind? Neither? Pelican! Try Pelican, Garcia. Great, which berth? Thanks Garcia!" Reid made a little hop. "I'm sure he is holding her on a yacht. The Pelican is at anchor, Baton Rouge marina, berth 17b."

"Hold your horses, Reid," Rossi tried to stem him, "how can you tell?",

"Oh come on, Dave. Take a look around." Reid said, impatient. "He is fascinated by Elizabeth and Drake. It's got to be a boat. Drake's ship, the 'Golden Hind' was called 'Pelican' first. You see? We need get to that marina, quick."

Burghardt had listened and collected Sorensen, Miller and Kippling. "It takes about 45 minutes to get to the marina, if we make it fast. It´s outside Baton Rouge. Ideal hiding place, if I may say so. Come on, guys."

"Hector Clemente! This is Baton Rouge PD. Resistance is futile, you are surrounded!" Mitchell yelled. The answer came promptly, two shots were whipping through the warehouse. "He's holed up," Hotch said, "is there another way, maybe from the other side, Mitchell?"

"We have tried to get a plan of the warehouse, Agent Hotchner, but it's the middle of the night, I suppose, even the Government in DC wouldn´t be open right now."

Hotch gave Morgan a look, this was clearly a case for Garcia. Morgan separated himself a bit, to talk to her in private.

"Clemente, my name is Hotchner, I´m with the FBI. We know that you have kidnapped one of our colleagues, you passed with her, in the hotel, right behind my back. You were hiding her in the laundry cart. Yet you can get out of this, relatively unscathed, but if Agent Gardiner gets hurt, it will be a totally different story."

"Fuck you!" Hector shouted and opened fire again. Hotch put himself to safety, just in time. "Hotch. Garcia takes care about the plan, but Reid has a very different track. He believes, Santos is hiding Eve on a yacht, apparently Santos has a maritime tic. Honestly, I don´t believe, Eve is here."

Hotch thought for a moment, "ok, Reid and Rossi to the marina, we stay here. We can´t completely rule out, that Eve is here." Hotch's phone beeped, Garcia had e-mailed the plan.

"Miguel, come on. Why don´t we take things slow? There was something, you misunderstood, I am not averse." Eve lied brazenly and swallowed the nausea. Yet, she sat half tied on the chair, when Santos wanted to go to bed with her, he had to detach her completely, a possibility to escape would arise.

"You are so hot, Chica", Santos whispered and his hand slided into Eve's neckline. "Small and soft, that's the way I like it," he cupped her breasts and massaged them roughly. "I´m wondering, if you are wet, yet?" he asked and kissed Eve again. "For the fact that you're not averse, you are not showing a lot of passion, Chica." He gave Eve a slap. "So what?"

"I like it the hard way, Miguel, dosesn´t that turn you on? Women, pretending they don´t want go get fucked? Resisting your charm and telling you no, when they mean yes?" Eve purred seductively and most likely, she wanted to scratch his eyes out, this disgusting pig.

Santos laughed, "It seems you're a real hottie, I didn´t misjudge you." His hand found its way between Eve's legs, his fingers buried themselves in her. "You're so tight, Chica. Very nice." Santos was licking his fingers, "and you taste like heaven," he put his fingers back into her, "I am sure we will have fun."

"Drive faster, Rossi," Reid commanded from the passenger seat. He never thought, he would even miss Morgan's frenzy style of driving, but Rossi drove like a sunday-school-attendant. "It is only 5 miles to go," Burghardt reported from the back seat, clutching the handle. Even faster? He thought in horror, we're already traveling at light speed.

Eve moaned in disgust, to endure Santos fingers was already unbearable. Santos had tied her up with her legs spread, apparently he had planned exactly what he wanted to do with her. And it would not be long until he was getting to that point, the bulge in his pants spoke a very clear language. Eve looked frantically over the table and her eyes got stuck on the fork. To Santos total surprise, she grabbed it and slammed the fork into his shoulder. "You dirty bitch!" he yelled and kicked the chair to the floor. Eve banged her head on the mahogany planks and became unconscious.

Reid and the others heard Santos yelling already on the pier, "You pay for it, bitch!"

The 'Pelican' was two-masted, about 20 m long, as Reid noted immediately and apparently completely unguarded. Santos wanted to indulge in his pleasure, without witnesses, and he wasn´t expecting anyone to find him here in this place.

The agents quietly boarded.

Santos had carried the unconscious agent into the sleeping cabin. He stroked her face, "I would have preferred it if you were awake, I would really like to hear you scream, Chica. I'm sure you scream when you cum. But for now I'm going to take you this way, doesn´t matter." Santos laughed dirty and bared Eve´s breast, relish, he ran his tongue over her nipples. "Chica," he groaned and opened his pants, he finally wanted to conquer what his fingers had explored earlier.

In the warehouse, Hotch crawled through a ventilation shaft. Actually, Morgan was always the one who had fun in such actions, but in this case, Derek was just too bulky. Even Hotch had difficulties and almost permanently stuck sometimes. He stifled a cry of pain as he joined the knee. Where the hell was Reid, when he was needed, Hotch thought, Reid would fit in here with no problems.

"Okay," he heard Morgan in his earpiece, "You're right behind him. Very carefully open the ventilation flap and on ..." Suddenly, a loud rumbling and crashing was heard, the old ventilation shaft simply refused to play along. Hotch and a major part of the shaft crashed from the ceiling and buried Hector. "So you made it Morgan style," Derek grinned, he was rushing to the scene and helped his boss to get up. "You okay?" he wanted to know. Hotch mumbled something unintelligible and held his back. Mitchell and his men liberated Hector Clemente from the wreckage, he had no serious injuries, he started again, furiously to lash out.

"Slowly, my friend. Where is your boss and where is he hiding agent Gardiner?" Mitchell grabbed Hector by the collar. "Open your mouth, buddy. Or should I leave you with the agent's ? They´re pretty pissed, buddy."

"I think the remains have slain Clemente, what do you think, Hotch?" Morgan asked, and Clemente shrank a little under his gaze.

"Do with him whatever you want, Morgan. I haven´t seen anything." Hotch replied coldly and turned around.

"Hey! Hey, man, you don´t leave me alone with that guy, don´t you?" Hector asked uncertainly. "You´re cops, you´re not allowed to do so!"

Hotch turned around. "My last few hours I've spent chasing a man, who likes to execute priests. I havn´t slept least for 24 hours, my girlfriend returned to her husband and then there is your boss, abducting one of my agents because he is keen on her, and I just fell out of a ventilation shaft. So, don´t tell me, what to do, Clemente. I'm not in the mood."

"If you touch her, I´ll spread your brain all over this cabin, Santos," Reid cocked his weapon. "I won´t say that again, take your slimy, dirty fingers from her, you fucking son of a bitch."

Rossi's eyes widened, Reid knew such expressions? "I think, he´s serious," confirmed Dave and cocked his SIG also.

"That´s what I think, too," Burghardt also reported from the background.  
Not a minute later Santos was wearing handcuffs and was on his way to the patrol car. Reid covered Eve in a blanket and tried to wake her.

"Eve? Come on, it's me, Reid. Everything okay?"

Eve moaned and blinked, "Spencer?"

"Yes, we have arrested him, Santos, I mean. Are you okay?"

She sat up, "I've been knocked out three times today, Spencer. Doesn´t feel very good. But I'm Ok. I guess."

"I´m going to tell Hotch the good news," Rossi grinned and left Eve and Spencer alone.

"Looks like you are going to save me all the time, Spencer," Eve said with a tiny smile.

Reid turned red, "I-I just don´t want you to get hurt, Eve, I, I care about you, a l-lot." he stuttered.

"Do you?" Eve bowed her head a little.

"I care v-very m-much" Spencer repeated slowly and had to swallow hard.

"I know," Eve said and gently she laid her lips on his. After a brief moment of shock Reid replied her kiss, she was so soft and she tasted so good, it felt damn good to kiss Eve Gardiner, Reid thought. I'll probably never stop doing that.


	14. Soap?

"And then you left?" Jess asked and handed JJ and herself one of Dave's favorite cognac.

"What could I possibly say, 'Welcome to the family'?" JJ snorted. Of all the things, she could think of, was the fact that Will had an affair and his mistress was actually pregnant, a scenario which JJ wouldn´t have thought about in her wildest dreams.

"Well, depends on how you look at this," Jess said and poured another one for her and JJ. "Don´t you tell me, you haven´t thought about what that means for you and Hotch? JJ, you´re free now, don´t you know?"

JJ had to laugh, "Oh God, yes. There are certainly things, that Will and I have to adjust, but you're absolutely right. I´m free for Hotch, I hope, he still wants me after all."

Jess grinned, "You're kidding? Aaron has always had a soft spot for you, JJ. Even Haley knew. She gave him hell, because of you, more than once."

"She did?" He never told me, JJ thought. Sure, every now and then she used to speak with Haley on the phone, she had always found her quite abrupt, but JJ didn´t realize such jealousy dramas going on.

"What?" Hotch asked, on the way back to the precinct.

"My girlfriend went back to her husband? It wasn´t hard to miss, Hotch." Derek took on a slightly reproachful tone. For him, there was no doubt about who this 'girlfriend' was. "Even one of those things, that are usual right now, Hotch?"

"I will not discuss this, Morgan."

"No? I'm sure Will would want to discuss it, finally you´re fucking his fiancé!"

"That´s enough, Derek. Must I remind you, that I'm your boss and you have no right to talk to me like this?" Hotch said sharply.

"Of course, you´re my boss. My boss who violates common rules. How long is going on? Since Emily's death? It started back then, right?"

"Em is not dead" Hotch said softly, he was so sick of all this lies. Morgan thought, he had misheard something. "What did you just say?"  
Hotch pulled over and got out of the car, followed by Derek.

"Prentiss is not dead, Morgan. JJ and I decided to let her go underground. Her injuries were severe and it was very close, but she survived it. We wanted her to be safe, we knew, Doyle wanted to see her dead. We still don´t know, where he is. We had no choice."

"No choice?" Derek yelled and gave Hotch a hard right hook. "You fucking asshole! Do you have an idea how guilty I feel, since ... but wait. Course you know it. Yes, I had to tell you what is going on inside of me. And what about Reid? You ever thought of him? What if he had relapsed?"

"He didn´t, Morgan." Hotch was back on his feet again.

"That´s not your merit! Where is she?" Morgan was still yelling at Hotch.

"Europe. She will not come back. Not before Doyle is sitting behind bars." Hotch said and rubbed his chin. Morgan had struck with oomph. "I guess, I earned that," Hotch said dryly and Derek grinned briefly before he became serious again.

"You have to tell them, Hotch."

"You're right. When we´re at home. For now, I want to make sure that everything is all right with Eve. Reid and Rossi said, she is okay. But I want to check out myself. Wanna punch me again, or we can go?"

"I'm driving," Derek grumbled and took Aaron´s key. "You drive like a bloody beginner."

"So, you´re okay?" Reid determined asked for the third time and wrapped Eve in his jacket and in his arms. Rossi squeezed her hand and poured her a cup of tea.

"Guys, I'm fine. My head hurts a bit, that's all. He touched me, but he didn´t hurt me. I´m a big girl, I can handle that. But I must admit, it was probably very close. Thank You, for hurrying up."

"Reid has set the pace, Eve. He was keen competition for Morgan."

"If you want to compare with me, you have to be quite on the ball, Rossi", Derek grinned from the background. He was in, just in time with Hotch to hear Rossi's remark.

"Oh, Reid was on the ball. He threatened to spread Santos brain all over the cabin, if he doesn´t keep his sticky, slimy finger to hisself. Oh, and he called him a 'fucking son of a bitch'."

"That´s what you said?" Derek asked, "I had no idea, what vocabulary you were hiding."

Spencer blushed, "I felt my choice of words was appropriate," he said with as much dignity as possible.

"Hey nice, you are back with us, Agent Gardiner," Mitchell stuck his head through the door. "I just wanted to say, my people have found a whole arsenal of weapons and 20 pounds of China White in the warehouse. Clemente sings like a canary, and the DA is on it´s way. Oh, and the press also got wind of it."

"I think we'll leave you and your District Attorney with the laurels, Detective Mitchell. Me and my team will disappear into the hotel, we all could use a little sleep", Hotch said, earning a sympathetic nod from Mitchell.

"Burghardt will lead you out our back door." Mitchell grinned, this team might be hit a bit, but they did a damn good job.

Finally arriving at the hotel, Hotch took Eve aside. "I'm sure, you have been asked already, but you´re ok?"

Eve smiled, "I'm fine, Hotch. Don´t bother. I feel alive again, if you understand what I mean."

Hotch nodded.

"I need a shower, right now, Santos could not keep his hands to himself, it was disgusting, but I've already done things, worse than that."

"Like lap-dancing," Hotch smiled, remembering their first case.

"Don´t you remind me. But the tip was good," she quipped.

"Was a long time ago," Hotch said. "I'm glad, you have decided to join the team."

"No, thank you, Hotch. I would have drunk myself to death without you. I owe you."

"Coming back to that. Good night Eve."

"Good night, Hotch."

Reid was very nervous in the hotel room. He gently touched his lips, he still felt Eve´s soft kiss. Spencer had a strange fluttering in his stomach, Morgan would probably be able to tell him, that it felt like that, when you were in love. He didn´t know, how to behave towards Eve. Maybe the kiss was just a 'thank you'? Maybe I made a complete fool out of myself, Spencer thought horrified and jumped up, when Eve came through the door. "Hi," he said uncertainly.

Eve smiled briefly, "Hi is all I get, Spencer?"

"I-I don´t know. What do you have in mind?" Spencer shifted from one foot to another.

"Well, maybe a hot shower to start with?"

Okay, Spencer thought, that sounded easy.

"And someone to soap me."

"Soap you?" Spencer repeated, just to be sure. Eve came one step closer and put her arms around his neck.

"I need to get Santos off my body, Spencer, please." Spencer nodded and pulled Eve into the bathroom. "I´ll have to take my clothes off, right?"

"I guess, that would be an advantage," Eve said, pulling him slowly out of his sweater and shirt. Spencer removed his jacket from her and opened the zipper of Santos dress, that Eve was still wearing. It slid to the ground just like that.

"Did he hurt you?" Spencer asked, quietly and very gently he touched her neck and collarbone. She is so beautiful, Spencer thought, Eve was all naked.

"He tried, Spencer," Eve caressed his hair tenderly and opened his belt and pants. "No reason to be nervous, we can take our time. Your pace, ok, Spencer?" Reid nodded resolutely and got rid of his remaining clothes. He grabbed the big sponge, which lay on the bathtub and followed Eve in the shower. I can do this, Spencer thought. I shower every day, this is nothing different.

Constance sat at Will's bedside. JJ had just left, Connie could hardly believe it. She told JJ the truth, out of pure desperation and expected a scene, or a kicking, whatever. But JJ just left and Constance was alone with Will. He slept again, Dr. King had been here, a couple of minutes ago and he had not expressed dissatisfaction. Constance was sure, Will would get well. She took Will's hand and placed it on her stomach, so he could feel his son. We need you, Will, Connie thought.  
"Co-nstance?" Will suddenly whispered. "I'm here, Will." Connie smiled happily and stroked his cheek. "Everything 'll be okay, darling." "Does JJ ..." Constance nodded, "I had to tell her, Will. I don´t know, she has remained so calm, she didn´t shout or cry, maybe she knew?" "We´ll see ..." Will went back to sleep, he just was too exhausted to think about anything.

Spencer soon noticed, it definitely made a difference whether you were alone or in pairs in a shower. Was it only his imagination or did the cabin change it´s size? No, shower-cabins were not able to shrink, he reminded himself. My pace, Spencer thought, he squeezed the sponge, to make it foamy. Very carefully he started to wash Eve's torso. Eve closed her eyes and moaned softly, Spencer did a pretty good job. He watched in amazement, how her nipples reacted, when he touched her gently. First with the sponge, but Spencer couldn´t resist, touching her with his hands and cupping her breasts. Eve moaned again, louder, this time. "Spencer", she said, leading his hand downwards. He held his breath and stopped abruptly.

"Don´t stop, Spencer. This feels so good. You´re not hurting me."

"It feels too good," he whispered, leaning against the front of the cooling ceramic wall. Eve chuckled, "but that´s where we wanna go, Spence." She stroked his back and kissed her way down to his spine. Reid's breathing became heavy, he felt Eve clung to him, her bare breast pressing at his back. "You trust me, Spencer?" she whispered and kissed a spot behind his ear. Spencer squealed, "Oh dear God, yes, Eve. Do, w-what ever you want."

"I'm sorry," Spencer said, half an hour later. He was tied up in a knot with Eve in their bed.

"What are you sorry for, Spencer?"

"Well, I, I mean, you made me..." "Cum?" Eve said with a tiny smile and Reid turned red.

"Uh, yeah. I'm not very experienced, Eve, but this is about giving and taking, right? All I did, was take, Eve. I´m gonna give something back to you, if you don´t mind?" Spencer stroked Eve's lower back and kissed her.

"I don´t mind at all, Spence. What do you have in mind?" Eve asked a little later, breathless. Reid turned out to be a very good kisser. Spencer giggled, "relax and enjoy," his fingers traced easily across Eve's bare skin, he did, what he would have liked. Eve got goosebumps, a comforting warmth was taking place in her belly. Spencer became brave and lowered his lips to Eve's nipples. Eve held her breath, Spencer was talented, he found just the right mix between pleasure and slight pain, he was kissing, sucking, biting, his lips moved deeper and deeper, he kissed and caressed her inner thigh and finally found her sweet spot. "Oh my gosh, Spencer", Eve cried, as he pushed her over the edge.

Reid was the first in the morning for breakfast. Eve was still sleeping like an angel, Reid didn´t wanna wake her up. Morgan, Hotch and Rossi were deeply in conversation, as Spencer sat down. On Spencer's place there was a small parcel with a ribbon. Spencer suspiciously shook it, the parcel didn´t make any noise. "What's that?"

"Something very needful, pretty boy," Derek said. Condoms? Spencer thought in shock, Derek wouldn´t do that, would he? Eve and he didn´t have 'real' sex this night, because neither of them had thought about prevention. But actually, the package was too heavy, it had to be something else. Reid decided to remove the ribbon and the paper.

"Soap?"

Morgan grinned, "thyme soap, kid. Your phrasing leaves much to be desired. And call yourself lucky with the thyme, actually I wanted to buy curd soap and rinse your mouth with it." Even Hotch had to laugh about that.


	15. Confession

The rest of the morning was spent in a debriefing of the arresting of Miguel Santos, at the Baton Rouge PD. The District Attorney, Sam Franklin showed up again and expressed his thanks to the FBI and assured himself that Eve Gardiner was all right. In the afternoon, Rick, the pilot, was finally considered that the turbine sounded like she used to do and gave thumbs up for launch.

Everyone was hanging in his own thoughts on the flight home. Morgan tried to process the incredible thing that Hotch had revealed to him. Emily was alive. He wondered how Hotch and JJ could have made such a decision. At least, it was an explanation for Hotch´s behaviour and the fact, he and JJ ended up in an affair. Nothing kept people closer to each other as fast as shared secrets, or experiences, Derek thought, and glanced at Reid. His pretty boy was smiling all over, obviously he had been lucky tonight. Morgan smiled, Eve was hot and little genius was about to learn, what that ment.

Hotch thought of the text message, JJ had sent. Will was on the mend, it said. That was the good news. The 'we need to talk' caused Hotch tummy rumbling. He knew exactly what JJ wanted to talk about. What he knew himself already. Their affair was an absolute no go and it had to stop. Now. In addition, even if Will seemed better, JJ wasn´t one of this girls, running away, when things got difficult. Hotch stood up and grabbed a coffee from the small galley. At least Eve has turned out to be a good catch. She looked good today. Nothing in her appearance reminded at the wreck, she was when I hired her, Hotch thought. Apparently I can still do something right, Hotch sat down and finished his report.

Rossi had closed his eyes and thought of Jess. He missed her. Tonight she had surprised him with a hot phone call, Rossi chuckled at the thought of it, thank God, he had a single room. Jess was always good for a surprise. But phone sex can´t replace the physical contact, not the softness of her skin, or the particular scent she had. Rossi had swiped a shirt from her, he always took one when he had to go away, it felt so comfortable, to have a part of her with him, when he was alone in bed. Fortunately, today he would not need the shirt, he would get the original and that was always the best, anyway.

Eve thought about her night with Spencer. Actually, he was not her type, he was younger, almost seven years, but somehow, that did not matter, she felt at ease in his company. He was there for her, not pushy, but persistent, and always ready to provide any help that was needed. And tonight he had lost much of his shyness. Eve had to think of a quote from Madonna, young men did not know exactly what they did, but they made it through the night. Eve smiled, she did enjoy, what happened tonight, even though it had not yet come to real sex, because of the lack of condoms, there were other ways to get satisfied, and she felt very satisfied, tonight. Eve wasn´t sure if this fling with Spencer had a future, but she would do everything, to make it work. We deserve that, Eve thought.

JJ cautiously opened the door to Will's room. Constance was asleep at his bedside and somehow that looked right, JJ thought. "Connie?" JJ tapped her briefly and Constance woke up immediately. "You should lie down a bit, Connie. You have to think about the baby, stress will do no good." JJ handed Connie a mug of tea.

"Why do you do that, JJ? I mean, if the situation were reversed, I would give you hell, to be honest."

JJ sat down beside her. "I know, Connie. Will and I, that was never perfect. Will is a nice guy, he really is. But I´m not, what he needs. Probably we would have split up, a long time ago, if there wasn´t Henry. Will loves his son, he ist a great father."

"Will told me, he always felt like being 2nd choice. For a while, he probably hoped it would change, but this feeling never left." Connie said and JJ nodded.

"I wasn´t fair to him. You can blame me for that, Connie. There was someone else. Someone I loved and still do. For such a long time, even before Will."

"You ha-ve to g-get happy with H-Hotch-ner", Will said, "I´m e-ne honest with you, JJ."

The women were so engrossed in their conversation that none had noticed that Will was awake. "Will," JJ said, worried, "how are you?"

Will nodded," -m tough, you know that."

JJ smiled," I really do. I´ll bring Henry, as soon as possible, he misses you. Will we just agree, you´re getting well soon, then we´ll sort out all the rest, all right?"

" Good idea," Will whispered and squeezed JJ´s hand.

Strauss was waiting for the team in their office. Hardly giving them time to drop their go-bags. Rossi moaned barely audible, they were just landed and actually all they wanted, was to go home.  
"Pretty good job, you did in Baton Rouge," Strauss said. "I am pleased, this team works without Agent Prentiss, although I doubted it very much. DA Franklin was full of praise for all of you, Miguel Santos is a big catch. The Archdiocese isn´t so thrilled, understandably, a Bishop as the black sheep isn´t well liked in the herd. But, again, congratulations. I don´t want you back here until Monday, you earned one day special leave." Strauss left in a hurry.

"Special leave, music to my ears," echoed Rossi, he knew exactly how Jess and he would spend that. Verdi, vine, pasta and amore, a lot of amore.

"Before you go, I have to tell you something. Let´s meet in conference room, in 10 minutes? Morgan, will you call Garcia?" Everyone wanted to go home as quick as possible, Hotch knew, but he finally wanted to get rid of what was bothering him for so long.  
So all eyes were on him as he was the last one entering the room. Hotch closed the door behind him.

"A few months ago, JJ and I made a decision," he said. "A decision that we didn´t take lightly, but it was the only option. Ian Doyle wanted Emily Prentiss dead. I rely on you, everything, I tell you now has to stay in this room under any circumstances. Emily's life depends on it. "

"But Emily is dead," Reid said flatly, "We have carried her coffin, and have been at her funeral." Hotch shook his head, "no, we're not, Spencer. Em is in Europe, until we catch Doyle. Our primary goal is to get him, and Morgan will be in the lead. He will get as much time, as he needs to find Doyle."

Derek nodded, that´s what he had in mind.

"You knew that?" Garcia asked, shocked and looked at Derek.

"Since yesterday, baby girl." He confirmed. Reid stood up without a word and left the meeting room. "I'll take care," Eve said and stood up, too.

"Eve? Something I want you to know, your position in the team is not in question, even if Prentiss is back. I think you should know."

"I didn´t question that. Thanks anyway, Hotch."

"Something you have to say, Dave?" Dave sat back. "What do you expect me to say? I´d like to slap you, but I guess that's something, Morgan has already done. Your decision was one big crap, Aaron. But honestly, if I were in your place, I don´t know, what my decision would have looked like. I don´t throw the first stone and I don´t envy you, living with a secret like that. I'll go home now and I curl up with Jess, maybe I can forget this crap for a while. I´ll be back on Monday, and then we´ll get that fucking bastard."

Eve found Spencer in the kitchenette. "Hey. Want to talk about it?" "Talk? Eve, I´m not keen on talking right now. Hotch and JJ, how could they do such thing? I slept and cried on JJ´s couch, for weeks, Eve. She didn´t say a word, Eve. Not a single one."

Eve put her arm around him. "I understand that you're hurt. Probably I would be too. I don´t know much about this Doyle thing, but what I know is, Hotch and JJ made that decision, thinking there was no other choice. And it wasn´t easy for them, I guess."

"You´re taking their side?" Reid asked, sounding pissed.

"I'm not taking sides, Spencer, because there are no sides. There is only us, the good guys. But we are not infallible, not at all. Don´t forget, Spence. Come on, I need something to eat, I´m starving. Oh, and the most important thing, we have to stop at a drug store.", Eve said. Reid chuckled and blushed. How nice that some things are so predictable, Eve thought, Reid looked so cute, turning red.

When Hotch was finally able to drop his briefcase at home, he felt completely beaten, but also relieved. No more lies, he thought, perhaps life could go back to an orderly transition? Hotch let himself flop on the sofa and put his feet on the table.

"How long are you planning to stay in the living room, Aaron?" JJ called from the bedroom. "JJ?" Hotch got up and found the beautiful blonde on his bed. "What are you doing here? You should be with Will, JJ."

"I don´t think so." JJ lounged seductively in her red silk underwear. "Connie would mind."

"Connie? Who the hell is Connie?" JJ pulled Hotch by his tie closer to the bed.

"Connie is the girl, Will is seeing and sleeping with for almost a year and, topping on the cake, he is having a baby with her." JJ put her arms around Hotch's neck and kissed him. "I love you, Aaron, I always did. And even though this is very uncommon, you wanna marry me?"

Aaron had to sit down. "Will is having an affair?" he said, this was hard to believe.

"Don´t stall me, Aaron, answer my question. Will you marry me?"

"Nothing on earth could stop me, Jenny. Yes, I love you and I wanna marry you."

"Still thinking about Prentiss, Spencer?" Eve snuggled with Reid on his couch. Spencer nodded, "I still don´t understand, Eve." She kissed his cheek. "You know, Spencer, it would be nice if it the world was just black or white. Right or wrong. But it isn´t that way. Hotch and JJ made this decision. Period. Right or wrong, who knows. They just wanted the best for Emily and that´s what we´re gonna do. On Monday, we´ll kick some ass and we´ll find out, where this bastard Doyle is hiding. We´ll bust him, and we´ll get Emily Prentiss back. Clive, my brother-in-law is with MI 5 in London. I´ll contact him, probably he can help. Monday we start off. For now, we´ve got an entire, long weekend only for us, Spencer. You´re thinking, what I´m thinking?"

Spencer laughed, he could imagine what Eve had in mind. His hands slipped gently under her shirt. "Something like that?" he wanted to know and kissed Eve passionately. Eve moaned softly, Spencer learned very fast, benefits of being a genius. Eve took his hand and together they went to the bedroom. Eve was sure, Spencer wasn´t the only one, to learn something, this weekend.

A while later Hotch woke up, holding JJ in his arms. It was a good feeling, Hotch thought. Everything turned out right, even if it had not looked like that. Almost anything, but they would get Doyle. Maybe not on Monday or Tuesday, but they would get him. Because this team, his team, was one of the best teams ever. Hotch went back to sleep and he slept deep and dreamless.

**all right, that´s it, guys. I hope, you enjoyed reading as much, as I enjoyed writing. See You, Susen**


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